Carol Mary Reilly, born on April 10, 1954, in Iselin, New Jersey, passed away on August 10, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was a wife to Rich, a sister to her three siblings Joan, Lori, and Steve, a mother to her two children Erin and Chris, and a grandmother to her four granddaughters Annie, Melanie, Evie, and Olive. It was this title of grandmother that she cherished most, and her granddaughters loved her so very much.

Carol and Rich met at work in Nutley, New Jersey, quickly fell in love, were married at the age of 20, and moved to California shortly afterward where they lived together for more than 50 years. For most of her working life, Carol worked at Allergan Pharmaceuticals in Irvine, CA, where she was a dedicated employee, but an even more dedicated mother. While her children were young, Carol worked part-time to be able to pick her children up after school and spend quality time with them. She’d often comment how much she’d miss this time as her children grew up and her children were fortunate to have spent so much time with the mother that they loved when they were school-aged.

Carol was a devoted wife and made a fabulous traveling companion for Rich. Together they took many wonderful trips. From New Zealand to Russia, Rome to Hawaii, traveling was one of her favorite pastimes and each trip that Rich planned was unforgettable. Their favorite part was that they did it together.

Carol always took care of herself and her appearance. She made sure that her makeup was right and that her clothes and jewelry were color coordinated. This was often noticed by her many friends who appreciated her sense of style, but more so loved her because of her kind and generous spirit. She cared deeply about everyone in her life and she cherished these relationships, as all of the people in her life cherished her. Her favorite way to show love was to buy gifts for everyone close to her. Each holiday was marked by Carol’s gift-giving, and she enjoyed giving gifts as much as everyone enjoyed getting them.

She always remained close to the Lord and her relationship with God grew stronger each year. An example of faith for her family, she never missed taking her children to Mass each Sunday. Many of her closest friendships were with the women of San Francisco Solano’s Women’s Circles where she was an active and beloved member of the parish.

Though her passing was sudden, she lived with some physical pain and difficulty in her final years. Her family is grateful that she is with our Lord, where there is no more pain but the fullness of joy in God’s presence.

Her funeral will be held at 10:00 AM at San Francisco Solano Catholic Church, 22082 Antonio Pkwy, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 on Friday, September 11, 2026. Her interment will follow at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery located at 7845 Santiago Canyon Road, Orange, CA 92869.

Donations can be made in her name to St. John the Baptist Catholic School: https://www.sjbschool.net/giving.