Obituary of Andrew R. Reilly

Andrew R. Reilly passed away on December 30, 2021. Andy’s wife Katherine predeceased him in 2015. He is survived by sons, Rob (Paula), Paul and Fred (Cindy) and daughter, Susan. Surviving also are six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Andy was born in Camden, New Jersey on March 31, 1930 and was one of seven siblings. He served in the U.S. Army and Army Security Agency. Andy went to college on the G.I. Bill and graduated from Purdue University in 1958 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. At Purdue, he met and married Katherine Vogt and began their 58-year marriage. Early in his career, Andy worked for the National Security Agency and Bendix Corporation. Later, he worked for Martin-Marietta, and General Electric as an Aerospace Engineer on the Sprint and Minute Man II missile designs and ground support systems. In 1962, Andy was elected as a City Commissioner in Haines City, Florida and served two terms as Mayor. He was one of five Commissioners who enacted the Bi-racial Proclamation prior to MLK’s “I Have A Dream” speech and the Civil Rights Proclamation. He was also a driving force in building a new City Hall, building the water treatment plant and paving streets in Haines City. In 1964, Andy was one of five Floridians named as the Outstanding Man of the Year by the Jaycees. He became a Mason and was a strong conservative. In 1970, Andy graduated from Temple University School of Law and became a member of the Florida Bar. He opened his own land use and real estate law practice, shortly afterward, in Haines City. He was appointed Chairman of the 1976 Blue Ribbon Committee by the Polk County Commission to project the five, fifteen and twenty -year growth patterns for Polk County. Other legal career highlights included the zoning for the new Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, the “Road to the East” from Haines City to Poinciana, the zoning for the Eagle Ridge Mall, the establishment of the Champion’s Gate intersection on Interstate 4, and numerous residential, commercial and mixed-use development projects. He was a visionary who helped countless people and served as a mentor to many Polk County attorneys. Andy served as City Attorney for Haines City from 2000 to 2004. During his tenure, he was instrumental in establishing the Community Redevelopment Agency for the entire City. Throughout his life, Andy’s focus was his family. He had an eternal love for Katherine and greatly enjoyed cooking BBQ ribs and chicken for family gatherings. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City, Florida. The family will be receiving friends at 1:00 p.m.