A former Jacksonville City Attorney and Winchester Grade School Teacher who became one of Downstate Illinois’ most well-known lawmakers in the late 1970s has died. Jim Reilly was 77.

Reilly grew up in Springfield, graduating from Springfield High School. He moved to Jacksonville in 1962 and graduated from Illinois College in 1967. From there, he would go on to graduate from the University of Chicago Law School in 1972. Reilly would return to Jacksonville and become the City Attorney in the 1970s. During this time, Reilly also worked as an aide to Chicago Republican State Representative George Burditt and taught at Winchester Grade School for 2 years.

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