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60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, September 20, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 6, 2004 Medford woman falls off cliff, dies By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Jackson County Search and Rescue workers used boats on the Rogue River Sunday to recover the body of a 55-year-old Medford woman a day after a fatal fall down a steep cliff near Grave Creek. Cheryl Patricia O’Reilly died after suffering massive head injuries when she fell 100 feet from the narrow Rogue River Trail that leads to Rainie Falls, said Josephine County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Ken Selig. O’Reilly was hiking with three companions, a man and two young children, toward the falls, about two miles downstream from Grave Creek, Selig said. O’Reilly was unable to navigate the trail when it became narrow and steep. Her companion and the children continued on and O’Reilly started walking back toward their car parked at Grave Creek. Advertisement Witnesses told Selig that O’Reilly, who walked with a cane, tripped on rocks about ½ to ¾ mile west of Grave Creek and tumbled over the edge of the trail. A bystander clambered down the cliff to perform CPR, Selig said. The accident was reported at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Darkness and the steep, remote location prevented immediate recovery of O’Reilly’s body. Josephine County Search and Rescue workers remained on scene throughout the night. About 20 workers used boats to help float the body across the river Sunday morning for transport on the north trail exit, Selig said. O’Reilly, a former Mail Tribune employee, was remembered Sunday as a lively, big-hearted woman devoted to her two daughters, Samantha O’Reilly, 17, of Medford, and Jessica O’Reilly-Cowan, 23, of Miami, Fla. "She was totally focused on her kids. They were the world to her," recalled longtime friend Alan Berlin of Ashland. She also appreciated Latin culture and music, friends said. Samantha O’Reilly recalled her mom’s zest for life. "She loved to garden. She loved to dance. She loved good food and wine," she said. Cheryl O’Reilly was active at Temple Emek Shalom in Ashland. A service is planned for Thursday, although details are not yet final. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities