Roberta Yvonne Reilly

Reverend Dr. Vicki Vander Vegt will officiate at a memorial service for "Reilly": 2:00 PM, Friday, May 21, 2021 at the Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City. A memorial visitation for friends and family will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the chapel. Inurnment will take place 1:00 PM, Tuesday, May 25th at the Eveleth Cemetery in Eveleth, Minnesota. ROBERTA YVONNE REILLY left us on December 26, 2020 at Lakeside Health and Rehab in Pine City. Reilly, as she preferred to be called, was born April 1, 1938 in New York, to Joseph F. Reilly and Marie F. (Ahlin) Reilly. Around the age of five, Reilly and her mother returned to Minnesota, where she attended school in Eveleth, graduating from Eveleth-Gilbert High School in 1956. After graduation, she attended St. Scholastica, and taught elementary school for a short time. She then attended St. Cloud State University and got a degree in social work. She moved to Pine City in 1966, where she worked for Pine County Social Services, until her retirement in 2000. She called Pine City “home” for the remainder of her life, staying involved with the Pine City Historical Society and happily supporting the Pine City Public Library. During her years in Eveleth, she had fond memories of sledding on the streets after a snow storm. She also loved to bowl as a girl, which may have contributed to her ability to win the “Holiday Wii Bowling Tournament” just two years ago. She was always proud to call herself “a Ranger”. Intelligent and sharp-witted, Reilly was an avid reader, especially of mysteries. She loved the challenge of a puzzle, particularly a difficult crossword puzzle. She had a small workshop in her basement where she liked to work on projects. She liked to watch the Twins and Vikings, or discuss local and national issues. She lived a simple life, and was not an extravagant or materialistic person, but would rather focus on having coffee with friends or enjoying an occasional “gut bomb” (aka a donut). She had a sweet tooth, and loved dark chocolate and almonds. She also loved a black cup of decaf coffee and eating lunch at Nichol’s Café or Mom’s Parkside. Reilly was always happy when she was gardening. Spring was her favorite season as she loved to plant flowers and watch them grow. She had a large backyard devoted to the birds, butterflies and all forms of nature—she loved to “watch life happen.” She loved all animals, particularly her cats. Holidays held a special place in Reilly’s heart, as she had the chance to spend time with her “adopted” family in Carlton, where her contagious laughter could always be heard. A simple magnet on her refrigerator summed up her philosophy of life: “What’s important is not how long, but how deeply and fully we live.” Reilly is survived by her close friend Jo Ann Trampe and her family, Cory Trampe of Pine City, Jill (Scott) Elwood, Kathryn and Eric Elwood of Carlton. She is also survived by countless friends and beloved members of her Coffee Group, including Barb, Bette, Jo, and Becky; her cousins Sandie Ahlin and Jimmy (Carol) Ahlin all of Eveleth; and her affectionate cat CeCe. She was preceded in death by her father Joseph who passed in 1937, and her mother Marie in 1964. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City ~ Swanson Chapel FuneralAndCremationService.com