Hugh J. O’Reilly Sr. “Nubby” passed away peacefully on the morning of November 2, 2011 at his home in La Quinta CA. He was 75 years old.
He was born at St. Mary’s hospital in Emporia, Kansas on July 20, 1936 to parents Harry and Esther O’Reilly of Strong City. Hugh was the youngest of three boys, Henry Charles of Plano Texas and Phillip James who passed away in 2000.
After graduating from Chase County High School in 1954, he attended St. Benedicts College in Atchison. As a freshman, he won the university singing contest. He had the rare honor of dedicating a song, Mother Mcree, to his mother in attendance that night. With this success, Hugh decided to delay college and pursue a career in music. He studied at the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City and ended up in New York taking singing parts wherever they might arise.
While his passion was music, he worked in the restaurant business, where he would ultimately make his mark. Hugh worked his way up to banquet manager of Stouffers in Manhattan, New York when he met Eileen Browne who had just emigrated from Ireland at the age of nineteen. On February 11, 1961, they wed at Corpus Christi Parish in Mineola, New York and on Christmas Eve of 1962 they had their only child, Hugh O’Reilly Jr. In the summer of 1965 after a vacation back to Kansas, Hugh and Eileen decided to move to Overland Park Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. After taking a shot at owning his own restaurant in Raytown, Missouri called “Cuzzin Jeds”, Hugh accepted a job for Malt Village, an ice cream/hamburger shop that was based in the south and midwest. Hugh provided field service and assisted in opening each store.
Then while living in Overland Park, he answered an ad for the fast growing McDonald’s chain. He was asked in to interview and was quickly hired in 1967 so he moved his family to Chicago. Hugh started his McDonald’s career at the Ravine Road store in Carpentersville, Illinois where he worked with many talented people including current McDonald’s CEO, Jim Skinner. In 1971, Hugh was promoted to field consultant and spent the next four years opening stores all over the Chicago and St. Louis regions. This territory stretched from Indiana west to Kansas and north into the Dakotas. Needless to say he spent most weeks on the road returning late every Thursday night. In those days, McDonald’s was still a very small company and founder Ray Kroc was still very active and visible in the business. Ray was a musician and admired Hugh’s ability to carry a tune. Hugh sang at several conventions including an impromptu gig with the Four Lads in Chicago. In 1973, the town of Emporia Kansas had popped onto the McDonald’s radar. Hugh asked Ray personally if he could manage the restaurant with the intent to buy at the end of his ten year mentor program. Ray was touched by Hugh’s desire to own his hometown store and awarded the restaurant to him. It was in 1978 that Hugh became the operator of that store and later went on to open Ottawa in 1981. Hugh’s accomplishments with McDonald’s were many but this was a team effort. His wife, Eileen, played a vital role in establishing the legacy that he created and continues to provide “unsolicited’ field service evaluations during her travels. His son, Hugh Jr., has also worked in the system since 1978 and he along with wife, Erin, are the owner operators of the Emporia and Ottawa stores. In addition to his immediate family, Hugh touched the lives of many employees and customers. The consistent comment from both was that Hugh was a fair man and always let you know where you stood.
On the personal side he was an avid golfer, fisherman and collector. He also loved to read and has more books than most libraries. Hugh always believed that true knowledge was from experiencing and reading about others experiences. This was why he could participate in any conversation no matter what the subject matter. Plus, it was always important for Hugh to maintain an active membership with the Shriners, the Knights of Columbus, the Masonic Temple, the Emporia Eagles, and the Emporia Country Club. His later years saw a steady physical decline but his spirit and positive nature stayed with him until the end.
Hugh is survived by his devoted wife, Eileen; son and daughter-in-law, Hugh and Erin; his beloved grandchildren, Ciara and Hughie lll of Overland Park, Kansas; in addition to his brother, Charles O’Reilly and a sister-in-law Connie O’Reilly both of Plano, Texas along with many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2011 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. with a Rosary at 6 p.m. at Roberts Blue Barnett Funeral Home in Emporia, KS. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Strong City, KS. Burial will be at St. Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery in Strong City, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Topeka Ronald McDonald House of which Hugh and Eileen are co-founders. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Hugh Joseph O'Reilly, Sr., please visit our flower store.
He was born at St. Mary’s hospital in Emporia, Kansas on July 20, 1936 to parents Harry and Esther O’Reilly of Strong City. Hugh was the youngest of three boys, Henry Charles of Plano Texas and Phillip James who passed away in 2000.
After graduating from Chase County High School in 1954, he attended St. Benedicts College in Atchison. As a freshman, he won the university singing contest. He had the rare honor of dedicating a song, Mother Mcree, to his mother in attendance that night. With this success, Hugh decided to delay college and pursue a career in music. He studied at the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City and ended up in New York taking singing parts wherever they might arise.
While his passion was music, he worked in the restaurant business, where he would ultimately make his mark. Hugh worked his way up to banquet manager of Stouffers in Manhattan, New York when he met Eileen Browne who had just emigrated from Ireland at the age of nineteen. On February 11, 1961, they wed at Corpus Christi Parish in Mineola, New York and on Christmas Eve of 1962 they had their only child, Hugh O’Reilly Jr. In the summer of 1965 after a vacation back to Kansas, Hugh and Eileen decided to move to Overland Park Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. After taking a shot at owning his own restaurant in Raytown, Missouri called “Cuzzin Jeds”, Hugh accepted a job for Malt Village, an ice cream/hamburger shop that was based in the south and midwest. Hugh provided field service and assisted in opening each store.
Then while living in Overland Park, he answered an ad for the fast growing McDonald’s chain. He was asked in to interview and was quickly hired in 1967 so he moved his family to Chicago. Hugh started his McDonald’s career at the Ravine Road store in Carpentersville, Illinois where he worked with many talented people including current McDonald’s CEO, Jim Skinner. In 1971, Hugh was promoted to field consultant and spent the next four years opening stores all over the Chicago and St. Louis regions. This territory stretched from Indiana west to Kansas and north into the Dakotas. Needless to say he spent most weeks on the road returning late every Thursday night. In those days, McDonald’s was still a very small company and founder Ray Kroc was still very active and visible in the business. Ray was a musician and admired Hugh’s ability to carry a tune. Hugh sang at several conventions including an impromptu gig with the Four Lads in Chicago. In 1973, the town of Emporia Kansas had popped onto the McDonald’s radar. Hugh asked Ray personally if he could manage the restaurant with the intent to buy at the end of his ten year mentor program. Ray was touched by Hugh’s desire to own his hometown store and awarded the restaurant to him. It was in 1978 that Hugh became the operator of that store and later went on to open Ottawa in 1981. Hugh’s accomplishments with McDonald’s were many but this was a team effort. His wife, Eileen, played a vital role in establishing the legacy that he created and continues to provide “unsolicited’ field service evaluations during her travels. His son, Hugh Jr., has also worked in the system since 1978 and he along with wife, Erin, are the owner operators of the Emporia and Ottawa stores. In addition to his immediate family, Hugh touched the lives of many employees and customers. The consistent comment from both was that Hugh was a fair man and always let you know where you stood.
On the personal side he was an avid golfer, fisherman and collector. He also loved to read and has more books than most libraries. Hugh always believed that true knowledge was from experiencing and reading about others experiences. This was why he could participate in any conversation no matter what the subject matter. Plus, it was always important for Hugh to maintain an active membership with the Shriners, the Knights of Columbus, the Masonic Temple, the Emporia Eagles, and the Emporia Country Club. His later years saw a steady physical decline but his spirit and positive nature stayed with him until the end.
Hugh is survived by his devoted wife, Eileen; son and daughter-in-law, Hugh and Erin; his beloved grandchildren, Ciara and Hughie lll of Overland Park, Kansas; in addition to his brother, Charles O’Reilly and a sister-in-law Connie O’Reilly both of Plano, Texas along with many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2011 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. with a Rosary at 6 p.m. at Roberts Blue Barnett Funeral Home in Emporia, KS. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Strong City, KS. Burial will be at St. Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery in Strong City, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Topeka Ronald McDonald House of which Hugh and Eileen are co-founders. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Hugh Joseph O'Reilly, Sr., please visit our flower store.
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