Richard T Reidy

Richard T. Reidy, a longtime resident of Chestnut Ridge, passed away on April 28 at the age of 84.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Loretta; his three children Jamie (Alyson), Patrick (Clare) and Anne-Marie; his two grandchildren, Danny (13) and Josie (11); and his brother Gerald.

He was predeceased by his parents Stephen and Eileen Reidy, as well as his oldest brother Stephen.

Raised in the Riverdale section of the Bronx ("not the wealthy part!") as the youngest of three boys, Richie overcame an early rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and led a spirited childhood marked by numerous “set-tos” and general shenanigans. He attended St. Gabriel’s grammar school, followed by high school at Manhattan Prep, whose alumni he would run into for the next 40 years in random places – much to his wife's and children's mortification. He graduated from Manhattan College with a degree in business management and then pursued a career as a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot. Unfortunately for his knee, but fortunately for future generations of Reidys, he suffered an injury in bootcamp that forced an honorable discharge. At “150-pounds of coiled steel,” Rich returned to NYC and became a salesman for IBM, where he met the love of his life, Loretta Früh, in 1967.

On their first date, he told Loretta, “I'm going to marry you.” She said, "You're crazy." On their second date, he proposed. She said, "Yes." They married on December 1, 1968 at Holy Family Church in the Bronx, and James Williams “Jamie” was born in March of 1970. Rich and Loretta bought their "starter house" in 1972 in what was then called South Spring Valley – and never got around to finding their next house. Patrick Joseph arrived in August 1978, followed by Anne-Marie in May of 1980. As a father of three, Rich attended countless Little League, softball, basketball, and football games, wrestling matches, Cub Scout overnights, and dance recitals. 

He followed a calling to volunteer across Rockland County. If your organization had a charitable arm and a liquor license, he was your man! He proudly called himself a Hibernian (Division 3), a Legionnaire (Pearl River Post 329), a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus (Joyce Kilmer Council), a Knight Templar, a President of the Lions Club (Pearl River), an Elk (Pearl River) and a member of the Chamber of Commerce (Portchester). In what would have been a seismic shock to the nuns at St. Gabe’s, he served as the Chaplain for the American Legion. He sat on the board of the Rockland County Girl Scouts for 4 years. He worked Bingo Nights at St. Anthony’s in Nanuet, always delighted if there was leftover pizza to bring home.

Rich led a long career as a stockbroker and commuted to Wall Street on the train; he occasionally brought home friends he met in the bar car, much to Loretta’s delight. In 1997, he earned his Certified Financial Planner designation. He worked at Paine Webber; Kidder, Peabody & Co.; A.G. Edwards, and CitiBank. and joined Stifel Nicolaus, from which he retired in 2018.

Always ready with a joke, Rich struck up conversations everywhere he went (see: earlier “wife's and children's mortification”). The Shop-Rite deli staff greeted him by name and saved him the ends of roast beef, which he would enjoy for his afternoon snack – much to his cardiologist’s dismay. His blood type was Chip’s Ahoy, and he avoided exercise like it was a Democratic Party fundraiser. His greatest joys in life were being Danny and Josie’s “Opa” and seeing them dig in the sand during annual family vacations to Gilbert Lake State Park in Laurens, NY. His favorite sound was hearing the waiter say that a restaurant served Pepsi, not Coke. 

Rich Reidy lived simply. He did not care about luxury cars or designer clothes. He didn’t fly first class or pine for the bigger house. Instead, he sought time with the people he loved – trading stories, sharing laughs, lending an encouraging word. 

Dementia robbed Rich/Dad/Opa of his keen intellect and big presence. But his family chooses to remember him as he was: the funny, engaging, and opinionated punster who made the best breakfast sandwiches ever and refused to use a meat thermometer.

We take solace in the knowledge that he is out of pain and catching up with Jamie Williams in heaven, possibly over a vodka soda with “just a splash” of cranberry. We hope he rests easy knowing he leaves behind children and grandchildren who appreciate popcorn, puns, and pockets full of Kleenex.

Semper Fi!

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association 

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