Dorcas Reilly
{{Short description|American chef and inventor (1926–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Dorcas Reilly
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_name = Dorcas Lillian Bates
|birth_date = July 22, 1926
|birth_place = Woodbury, New Jersey, U.S.
|death_date = October 15, 2018
|death_place = Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
|spouse = Thomas H. Reilly
|parents =
|children =
|education = Drexel University
|occupation = Chef
Inventor
|relatives =
}}
Dorcas Lillian Bates Reilly (July 22, 1926 – October 15, 2018) was an American chef, homemaker, and inventor. Reilly worked for several years in the Campbell's Test Kitchen creating new recipes. She is best known for inventing the green bean casserole recipe. Reilly was called the "Grandmother of the Green Bean Bake."{{Cite news|date=November 10, 1996|title=Neo-Comfort Food|pages=124|work=Clarion-Ledger|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101779/clarion-ledger/|access-date=November 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=December 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205115540/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101779/clarion-ledger/|url-status=live}}
Biography
Reilly was born Dorcas Lillian Bates in Woodbury, New Jersey on July 22, 1926.{{Cite news|last=Zraick|first=Karen|date=October 24, 2018|title=Dorcas Reilly, Creator of the Classic American Green-Bean Casserole, Dies at 92 (Published 2018)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/obituaries/dorcas-reilly-dead-green-bean-casserole.html|access-date=November 27, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=December 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205080839/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/obituaries/dorcas-reilly-dead-green-bean-casserole.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Katz|first=Brigit|date=October 26, 2018|title=The Woman Who Invented the Green Bean Casserole|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remembering-dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean-casserole-180970635/|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en|archive-date=November 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130222131/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/remembering-dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean-casserole-180970635/|url-status=live}} She grew up in Glassboro and later in Camden. Reilly attended Camden High School, along with her future husband, Thomas H. Reilly. Dorcas Reilly went on to attend Drexel University, where she was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha and earned a degree in home economics in 1947.{{Cite news|last=Bolado|first=Carolina|date=June 1, 2005|title=Simply Green|pages=C1|work=The Herald-News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64099584/the-herald-news/|access-date=November 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207030309/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64099584/the-herald-news/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=July 10, 2015|title=Dorcas Reilly|url=https://drexel.edu/alumni/news-and-highlights/alumni-spotlight/1940s/reilly/|access-date=May 21, 2023|website=Drexel Alumni|language=en|archive-date=May 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522041912/https://drexel.edu/alumni/news-and-highlights/alumni-spotlight/1940s/reilly/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.hinski-tomlinsonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/DORCAS-B-REILLY?obId=26147661#:~:text=Dorcas%20was%20a%20member%20of,theatric%20groups%20throughout%20her%20life |title=Obituary information for DORCAS B. REILLY |access-date=November 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615005207/https://www.hinski-tomlinsonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/DORCAS-B-REILLY?obId=26147661#:~:text=Dorcas%20was%20a%20member%20of,theatric%20groups%20throughout%20her%20life |url-status=live }} She was one of the first members of her family to go to college.
Reilly started working at the Campbell's Test Kitchen in 1949. She was one of the first full time employees in the department.{{Cite news|last=King|first=Rebecca|date=October 31, 2018|title=Dorcas Reilly Leaves Behind a Great Legacy|pages=BL1|work=The Record|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101215/the-record/|access-date=November 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.comj}} and {{Cite news|date=October 31, 2018|title=Reilly|pages=BL2|work=The Record|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101274/the-record/|access-date=November 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} Reilly went on to become the supervisor in the home economics department.{{Cite news|last=Bella|first=Timothy|date=October 24, 2018|title=Dorcas Reilly, Inventor of the Green Bean Casserole, a Thanksgiving Favorite, Has Died at 92|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10/24/dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean-casserole-thanksgiving-favorite-has-died/|access-date=November 27, 2020|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127125418/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10/24/dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean-casserole-thanksgiving-favorite-has-died/|url-status=live}} She also worked as a recipe developer.{{Cite web|title=Dorcas Reilly and the Original Green Bean Casserole Recipe|url=https://www.invent.org/blog/innovation-display/original-green-bean-casserole-recipe|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=National Inventors Hall of Fame|language=en|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126214429/https://www.invent.org/blog/innovation-display/original-green-bean-casserole-recipe|url-status=live}} During her time at the test kitchen, she created hundreds of different recipes, including Campbell's tomato soup meatloaf, a tuna-noodle casserole, types of porcupine meatballs, and the Sloppy Joe "souperburger."{{Cite web|date=November 27, 2002|title=Dorcas Reilly, whose test kitchen created green bean casserole, dies at 92; read our 2002 interview|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/lifestyle/food/2018/10/24/dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean/9470199007/|access-date=May 21, 2023|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107202416/https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/lifestyle/food/2018/10/24/dorcas-reilly-inventor-green-bean/9470199007/|url-status=live}} She is best known for her creation of the green bean casserole.
In 1959, she married Thomas H. Reilly. Dorcas Reilly left the Campbell's Test Kitchen briefly to raise her children in 1961. She returned later to work as the manager of the Test Kitchen. During her time back at Campell's she was cited by the Courier-Post as an expert in "cooking and entertaining."{{Cite news|date=February 22, 1985|title=Ask the Experts|pages=49|work=Courier-Post|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101594/courier-post/|access-date=November 27, 2020|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=December 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206043754/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64101594/courier-post/|url-status=live}} Reilly retired in 1988. In 2002, Reilly and Campbell's donated her recipe for green bean casserole to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Reilly died on October 15, 2018, in Camden, New Jersey from Alzheimer's disease.{{Cite web |title=Dorcas Reilly inventor of green bean casserole dies at 92 |url=https://whyy.org/articles/dorcas-reilly-inventor-of-green-bean-casserole-dies-at-92/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=WHYY |language=en-US}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.grubstreet.com/2018/10/dorcas-reilly-inventor-of-green-bean-casserole-dies-at-92.html Grubstreet RIP, Inventor of the Green-Bean Casserole]
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Category:20th-century American inventors
Category:Camden High School (New Jersey) alumni
Category:People from Camden, New Jersey
Category:Chefs from New Jersey
Category:Daughters of the American Revolution people
Category:Drexel University alumni
Category:People from Glassboro, New Jersey
Category:People from Woodbury, New Jersey
Category:Order of the Eastern Star
Category:20th-century American women inventors
Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Michigan