Everyone knew Michael E. Reidy on the tennis courts — he was the one wearing ivory slacks.
“He never once wore shorts,” said his niece, Maureen Reidy Witt of Centennial.
The slacks, like those that used to be worn at Wimbledon, “made him stand out, quite elegantly, on the tennis court,” said Witt.
Reidy was 90 when he died April 12 at a hospice. He played tennis into his 80s.
“He was a very competitive player,” said Art Knott, a fellow player. “He played to win.”
“He was a cunning and crafty player,” said another friend, Lou Wilson. “But he was always a gentleman.”
“He could remember every point in every match he was ever in,” said Knott’s wife, Sue.
Reidy’s “phenomenal memory” as Witt described it, extended to the law and to activities of his large family of nieces and nephews.
A bachelor, Reidy never missed baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings or sports events of any of the kids and never forgot the scores of their games.
“We included him in everything,” said his nephew Michael L. Reidy of Denver. “He was the patriarch of our family.”
Reidy, a Denver real estate lawyer for more than 60 years, worked at Grimshaw and Harring until he retired in 1987.
He helped found the local chapter and was on the national board of Serra International, an organization that encourages people to become nuns and priests. He donated legal services to Savio House, which treats children and families, and was a member of the Sisters of Loretto board.
“He was a genuine, decent guy who always had an interest in other people,” said a friend, lawyer Thomas Benson.
A “spirited debater” he loved to “tee up a topic” on religion or politics, said his nephew, but “he never tried to impose his views.” He watched C-SPAN to keep up on news.
Reidy never cared for golf, fishing or cooking. When relatives cleaned out his apartment, they found the 1968 oven operating instructions in the spotless oven.
Evening meals were often at Seven 30 South in south Denver. “We gave him a 15 percent discount” because he was a regular, said owner Larry Herz. “He loved eggs Benedict on Sundays. He was a special guy. There was always a little light in his eye.”
Michael Edmund Reidy was born in West Mineral, Kan., on Aug. 5, 1918. He earned an undergraduate degree at Kansas Teacher’s College in Pittsburg, Kan., and his law degree at the University of Denver.
In addition to his niece and nephew, he is survived by 15 other nieces and nephews, 48 great nieces and great nephews and three great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by five siblings.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
