Mary Reilly was born July 14, 1920 to Pete and Pearl Metrovich in the Old Milwaukee Section House in Arrow Creek, Montana. For 70 years Mary faithfully kept a diary. On June 5, 1936 she tells of her sisters, Irene, Louise and Evelyn, along with their brother, Bud, hoeing in their newly planted shelter belt. One year before, President FDR was stranded near Butte as a severe dust storm stopped his train. He encouraged congress to give 218 million trees for people to plant in the central plain states to help stop soil erosion because of the incessant wind. The shelter belts around the Metrovich and other western farms were a result of everyone planting and watering the trees to help stop the dust storms. Five years later Mary would write in her diary stories of her Sunday afternoons at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane writing letters while attending Kinman Business College. After graduation she returned to Stanford to marry her high school sweetheart, Bill Reilly, and for 64 years enjoyed farming and fishing and raising four children together. Mary was very involved in the communities of Arrow Creek and Stanford. She organized March of Dimes bingo parties, was secretary of the school board, a 4-H leader, a member in the Presbyterian Church, and was in the Stanford Homemakers and Women’s Club for many years. One of her proudest accomplishments was helping with the Stanford swimming pool and making sure there was a nice facility where all the kids in Judith Basin County could learn to swim. Marlene, Dianne, Nancy and Bob took lessons at this pool as she and Margie Peterson took turns driving the eight kids into Stanford from Arrow Creek. The family took many wonderful fishing trips to Holter Dam and the Madison River when the Salmon flies were hatching. She and Bill made a trip to Ireland and visited the Blarney Castle. They visited New Orleans and rode the Delta Queen up the Mississippi, where Mary played the calliope. She and Bill loved to help with the grandkids and spoil them all. Mary made quilts for each grandchild when they graduated from High School. Mary passed away on April 13, 2016. She is survived by sisters Louise LeMond and Evelyn Moriarty of Great Falls, and children Marlene, Dianne, Nancy and Bob; as well as several grandchildren and great grandchildren. A celebration of Mary’s life will be held this summer at the Reilly Ranch in Stanford. to send a note of condolence to the family please visit
www.buffalohillfh.com
. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.