Thomas Eugene O’Reilly, Sr.

September 7, 1932 ~ August 26, 2026

Thomas Eugene O’Reilly Sr. passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 93 years of age in Scottsdale, Arizona, with family members at his side.

Tom was born on September 7, 1932, in Wichita, Kansas, to Eugene William O’Reilly and Florence Irene (Gustner) O’Reilly. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to St. Matthews, Kentucky, where Tom started school and began his love of riding horses. His sister, Judith, was born in 1937, the year of the great Ohio River flood. In 1941, the family moved to Columbus, Ohio, where they enjoyed living, even during the war years, until 1945.

They then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where Tom continued elementary school at Nativity Parish School and then to the well-known Cretin High School, where he graduated in 1950. He was in the Officers Club, Photography Club, and on the track team. He was also very active in Boy Scouts and was an Eagle Scout, Second Honors Member of the Order of the Arrow, recipient of the Ad Altare Dei Award, and a camp staff member. He was the St. Paul Area Council Delegate to the National Order of the Arrow Convention in Indiana.

His family moved to Westchester County, New York, in 1950. Tom attended Iona College and graduated in 1954 with a B.A. in Economics. The summer he graduated he began his studies toward an M.B.A. degree at New York University. He worked three summers as a wrangler at the Gabby Hayes Ranch Camp in East Jewett, New York, in the Catskill Mountains.

He joined the Army in 1954 and spent three years as a Special Agent in counterintelligence. While living in his old parish in Columbus, Ohio, he met his future wife, Lorraine (Simmie) Bryant of Canvas, West Virginia. They were married on February 9, 1957, in the church Tom attended from the fourth to eighth grade. The couple moved to New York, and Tom joined The Chase Manhattan Bank and resumed his studies at NYU, receiving his degree in 1958.

It was in these years that the first two of his children were born in Queens Village, New York: Thomas Jr. and Patricia. They moved to River Vale, New Jersey, in 1964. Tom was at Chase for 30 years, where he served in a number of Human Resource positions, including Director of Employee Relations, Director of Management Resources, Director of Executive Resources, retiring as Senior Vice President. He graduated from the American Bankers Association Stonier School of Banking at Rutgers University in 1968. His thesis was awarded Honors, and he subsequently served as a Thesis Advisor and Examiner and as a lecturer in Affirmative Action. It was in these years that the three other children were born: Susan, Gregory, and Pamela.

He retired in 1987 and joined the international outplacement firm of Lee Hecht Harrison as a Vice President and Senior Consultant, where he worked primarily with senior corporate executives. He retired in 1993 when he and Simmie moved to Cave Creek, Arizona, and built a house where they lived in sublime enjoyment for 33 years. In Arizona, Tom was President of the Cave Creek Saddle Club, a Board Member of the Arizona State Horseman’s Association, and a member of the BLM Range Resource Team.

In order to better enjoy the beautiful Sonoran Desert, he “adopted” two horses from the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program and enjoyed having them for 17 years. In 2019, he and Simmie sold the house and moved to an apartment in Cave Creek, where he lived until his passing.

He and Simmie were blessed with a wonderful family of five children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

He is survived by his wife, Simmie, of 69 years; his sister, Judith Ann Scherer; and his children: Thomas Eugene O’Reilly Jr. (Susan) of Croton-on-Hudson, New York; Patricia Ann Mulford (George) of Dallas, Texas; Susan Elizabeth Sherry (Christopher) of Tucson, Arizona; Gregory Bryant O’Reilly of Cave Creek, Arizona; and Pamela Joyce Pizzi (Michael) of Northvale, New Jersey. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Lindsay Linhart (Ryan), Daniel Mulford, Caitlin O’Reilly, Jacqueline Sherry, Christine DeWitz (Alex), Thomas Sherry, Jessica Pizzi, and Anthony Pizzi; and his great-grandchild, Wyatt Linhart.

Tom was predeceased by his parents, Eugene and Florence.

A private family service will be held at a future date.

Tom cherished his lifelong friendships with college friends and colleagues throughout his career.

The family wants to express its appreciation to Mayo Clinic, Lone Mountain Memory Care, and Hospice of the Valley for their caring assistance in Tom’s final days.