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The Passing Of A Beloved Cwrs Cymraeg Veteran
It is with the greatest sadness that we note the passing of Tom Reilly, a beloved member of the Cymdeithas Madog family, on Wednesday, April 27th. Tom started his Cwrs Cymraeg career at the 1978 course at Bucknell University, only the second Cwrs Cymraeg ever held, and attended every single course until the past year. Throughout those years his interest and enthusiasm for the Cwrs and the Welsh language never wavered. Tom will be fondly remembered by every student who has ever attended a Cwrs Cymraeg as a true gentleman. He will be greatly missed.
Sarah Stevenson’s Memories of Tom Reilly
The very first Cwrs Cymraeg Cymdeithas Madog was held in 1977—the year I was born. The following year, Tom Reilly attended his first Cwrs Cymraeg at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania—and, until very recently, attended every course since. When I think about the dedication it takes for someone to devote an entire week of their lives every single year to not only learning Welsh, but attacking it with enthusiasm, good cheer, and hwyl, it staggers me, especially when I think that Tom attended Cwrs Cymraeg for a number of years that spanned most of my life.
When I first began coming to the Cwrs, in 1999, I quickly came to realize that not only was Tom a veteran on the Cwrs—a fact that was inspiring in itself—but also that he was a longtime friend and mentor to countless other attendees. Course regulars we all know well, such as John and Ruth Kudlaty, became close friends of Tom’s after getting to know him during our annual summer week of learning and camaraderie.
During my own years attending the course, I had the pleasure of talking to Tom about his many intriguing life experiences, including his time in the Army, and came to regard him as a friend and mentor myself. Not only that, I was privileged to listen in on some fascinating conversations between Tom and some of the other multilingual Cwrs participants. As someone who enjoys languages, I was surprised and delighted to hear him discussing Turkish linguistics with another student over dinner at a residential Welsh course! Moments such as those increased my excitement about the environment of the Cwrs, but moreover, they only heightened my sense of admiration for Tom and his intelligence, kindness, and unflagging devotion to Cwrs Cymraeg and to lifelong learning.
His positive attitude toward Cwrs Cymraeg’s unique educational environment was summed up this way, in an article by Bernard Joseph in the 2001 Cwrs paper, Yr Emory Bwrdd:
“This is a good way to learn and have fun, or a good way to have fun and learn.”
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cymdeithas Madog, may we all follow in Tom Reilly’s footsteps, and continue to learn and have fun with as much gusto, in his memory.
Sarah Stevenson, Cymdeithas Madog Secretary
Below is a copy of his obituary.
Thomas P. Reilly
Friday, April 29, 2011
BRONX, N.Y. — Thomas P. Reilly, 85, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 27 at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers, N.Y. Thomas was born on July 7, 1925 in Waterbury, and was the son of the late Thomas F. and Katherine (Killeen) Reilly. Thomas graduated from Naugatuck High School in 1942, class president and valedictorian. He received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut and M.A. from Middlebury College, Vermont. He did further graduate work at the University of Grenoble, France, Laval University, Quebec, University of Mexico, Columbia University and NYU. Thomas served his country in the army during WWII. Thomas retired from the Horace-Mann School, Riverdale, N.Y. in 1996 ending a 44-year career as a foreign language teacher and he also served as chair of the Upper Division Foreign Languages Department for 32 years.
He is survived by his sister Ann Rutigliano and her husband Frank from Watertown, his brother Eugene J. Reilly of Prospect and several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his sister Mary Mukosey.
Funeral services will be held from the Buckmiller Brother’s Funeral Home 26 Waterbury Road, Prospect, CT on Tuesday, May 3, at 9:30 a.m. for a mass of Christian burial at St. Mary’s Church in Naugatuck, CT at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery Naugatuck. Calling hours will be held on Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
For more information and online condolences please visit www.buckmillerbrothers.com.