Funeral service with full police honors for former St. Paul officer Felicia Reilly
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Family, friends and local officials gathered for a funeral service with full police honors Monday for former St. Paul officer Felicia Reilly.
Reilly died March 1 at the age of 67 — 15 years after suffering a traumatic brain injury when she was attacked while on duty.
Reilly’s family said her death was due to injuries stemming from that assault. She spent nearly 17 years with the St. Paul Police Department.
The St. Paul Police Department honored Reilly with a medal of valor. Chief Axel Henry said she was a dedicated officer during her 17 years with the department. He said she was always willing to work tougher shifts.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
“She didn't take the easy path, but she took the one of great honor and of great service,” Henry said.
Guests at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church remembered her as compassionate, adventurous and devoted to her work as an officer.
Her son, Matthew Reilly, recounted a story from her career: One weekday morning on patrol, she spotted a young boy walking around with a cardboard box. She stopped him to ask why he wasn’t in class.
“He explains that he understands that he should be in school, and he knows that he might be in trouble,” Reilly said. “But you see, his cat had a litter of kittens, and his mom told him to say goodbye to them this morning, because she was going to take them to the shelter, and he couldn't bear that, so he had loaded the kittens up into a cardboard box and was going door to door to find them homes.”
Felicia Reilly took the last kitten home with her. She named it Donut – “because cops love donuts,” Matthew said. When he moved out, he took Donut with him.
“She kept a promise to a small boy who wouldn't know any better if she did or didn't,” Reilly said. “She showed compassion. She showed caring for the smallest, the least and the greatest.”
Reilly faced ongoing health complications for the last 15 years of her life. But those who knew her said she kept up her sense of adventure, and didn’t hold on to bitterness about the attack.
Governor Tim Walz, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and other St. Paul city officials came to pay their respects.
“She carried the weight of the badge with honor, knowing it meant sacrifice and facing challenges most will never comprehend, yet she met those challenges with courage, with kindness, with an unshakable commitment to the city that she loved,” Carter said.
The service was followed by a procession along Larpenteur Avenue to Roselawn Cemetery.
