Thomas "Tom" Reilly

Thomas Leo Reilly, 89, of Massena, Iowa, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2026. Tom was born October 6, 1936 to Charles “Leo” Reilly and Mary Henrietta (Krenz) Reilly. He grew up on the family farm in Pocahontas County, Iowa and attended Grant #9 country school, then graduated valedictorian from the Our Lady of Good Counsel high school in Fonda in 1954. After school, Tom was nominated for West Point. However, his true passion was to join the Air Force and learn to fly. He entered the Air Force in the fall of 1954, where he served 4 years, and then returned to the family farm.

Tom had a love of motorcycles that began in high school alongside his brother Michael. Even though he lost his brother to a motorcycle accident, he never lost his love of riding, and loved to share his memory of riding his Harley to Sturgis in ‘59.

Despite losing his son from his first marriage, Michael, to an airplane accident, he never lost his love of flying either. Along the way he relocated to the Wiota area where he worked for many years in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a private pilot, among other jobs.

Anyone who knew Tom knew he also loved horses, and rode, drove, and trained horses throughout his life. He participated in local saddle clubs, and at one time he even bred and raised Thoroughbred racehorses.

In the ‘70s he met his wife, Delores Kay (Jensen) Reilly of Exira. They married and relocated to Massena and had a daughter, Hollie. There he spent many years throughout the ‘80s working road construction, though the love of farming was calling. He worked to acquire a farm in the ‘90s and once again raise crops and livestock. He also continued to have horses, and instilled a lifelong love of horses in his daughter, Hollie.

After retirement, Tom revisited his love of motorcycling and got a Harley again for the first time in decades and spent retirement riding all over Southwest Iowa, making new friends everywhere he went.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Delores (Jensen) Reilly. Prior to that, he was preceded in death by his parents, “Leo” and “Maryetta” Reilly, brothers Pat and Michael Reilly, and his son from a previous marriage, Michael Reilly.

He is survived by daughter, Hollie Reilly (Tony McCullough) of Atlantic, sister Mary Lee (Gary) Huntington of Buhl, Idaho, brother Chris Reilly of Twin Falls, Idaho, brothers John and Tony Reilly of Minnesota, and sister Brenda Cross of Phoenix, Arizona.

Private burial will be held Friday, July 17 at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Fonda, Iowa.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 18, at the Wiota City Park from 11:00 – 1:00 for all who knew him to come swap stories and share memories.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for future designation and can be sent in care of Schmidt Family Funeral Home to P.O. Box 523, Atlantic, Iowa.

The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Atlantic is caring for the Reilly Family.