Colonel John E. Reilly, USAFR (ret) passed away peacefully in his home in Punta Gorda on Saturday. He was 44 days short of his 76th birthday. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in August 1942, he attended Jefferson High School in Elizabeth and later graduated from St Michael's College in Winooski Park, Vermont in 1964 as the Cadet Wing Colonel and Distinguished Military Graduate, bound for USAF Pilot Training. Immediately following his graduation, John married his hometown sweetheart (from the "good side of town" - one street over) Mary Ann, his wife of 54 years.

Col Reilly completed pilot training and was assigned to fly the Boeing B-52D Stratofortress "BUFF" and was deployed nearly continuously throughout 1967-1969, flying the famed ARC LIGHT strikes during Operation ROLLING THUNDER out of Guam and Thailand, including multiple raids over North Vietnam for which he was awarded multiple Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross as the youngest Aircraft Commander in Strategic Air Command.

In 1969, Colonel Reilly transitioned to a civilian pilot career with Trans World Airlines (TWA) and joined the Air Force Reserves at McGuire AFB, NJ where he flew the C-141 Starlifter as he progressed through the TWA inventory including the 727, DC-9, the just barely sub-sonic L-1011 (his favorite) and ultimately retiring as a Captain on the B-767. During his time with TWA, and later American Airlines, John also served as the 335th Military Airlift Squadron Commander, AF Reserve Advisor to the Commander of SAC, 514th Military Airlift Wing Vice Commander, and attended the prestigious National War College in Washington, DC.

Following his military (retired 1994) and airline career (retired 2002), John continued to serve the aviation industry as an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector in New York until his final retirement in 2011.

John and Mary Ann re-located to Punta Gorda in 2011, where they re-united with old military and airline connections, and also made many new friends in the local community. Col Reilly always enjoyed running his yacht; taking his family fishing, crabbing, or on sunset cruises in the bay. He was also an avid multidisciplinary reader who enjoyed discussions of science, history, politics, and investing.

Col Reilly is survived by his wife Mary Ann, their son Col (Dr) Kevin Reilly, USA, his wife, Ann Marie, grandchildren Kevin Jr., Mary Kirsten, and Jonathon; his daughter, Karen Munter, her husband, Col (ret) (Dr.) Fletch Munter, grandchildren, Lauren, Dennis, Katherine, and Bridget; and his son, Lt Col Michael Reilly, USAF, his wife, Jennifer, and grandson, Brendan. He is also survived by his brother Christopher, his wife, Jill, and many in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and close family friends too numerous to count.

A viewing will be held Monday, July 23 ^rd from 6-9pm at the Peppler Funeral Home, 114 S. Main St. Allentown, NJ.  Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, July 24 ^th at 11am at St. Raphael-Holy Angel's Parish, 3500 South Broad St., Hamilton, NJ.  Interment will take place in Arlington Cemetery at a later date.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, New York 10163.