Deceased December 27, 2014

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In Memory

With special sadness (see below), I note the passing of Kevin, dying two days after Christmas, Dec. 27, 2014, at his home in Charlottesville, Va.

He had prepped at Canterbury where he played several sports and entered Amherst in the fall of 1968, joining Chi Psi and majoring in political science … and a few other non-academic activities. He played baseball his freshman year with his fraternity brother Paul Koulouris ’72, and each has recounted the time that they took an important French test in full uniform due to a scheduling conflict—or some other reason—but Coach Rick Wilson was kind enough to get them into the lineup early in the game.

But it was hockey, again with Paul along with Frank Kroboth ’72, Rocky Shepard ’73 and others that consumed much of his non-classroom hours. Rumor has it that Kevin also went through his “Peter Fonda” phase after the release of the movie classic Easy Rider. He and Lorne Coyle ’72, also a fraternity pal, painted helmets, jazzed up their motorcycles and roared into Northampton. They say the windows shook … but never confirmed that the young ladies came out to celebrate their charms.

After college, he entered the field of qualitative market research with his father and later specialized in the automotive and beverage/alcohol categories. He had married Nancy Slack of Greenwich in 1976 and was living in Fairfield County. But after his father’s most untimely passing, they decided to forsake this familiar region and move to Virginia where he pursued a highly successful career.

Unfortunately, he encountered some health problems in later years, but his sudden heart attack in December still came as a shock to us all. He is survived by his loving wife Nancy and two sons, Shane and Kailand. A memorial service is planned for late February in Connecticut where most of his family still resides.

Kevin was my nephew and more importantly the elder son of Gene Reilly ’45, who started five of us to that small college on the hill. He was just 64, far too young to leave.

Gerry Reilly ’49