James Riordan of Bridgehampton died at age 80

Bridgehampton resident Patrick James “Jim” Riordan died on Sunday, November 22, at Suffolk Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Patchogue, after a brief illness. He was 80.

Referred to as “the unofficial mayor of Bridgehampton” in a 1998 profile in The Southampton Press, Mr. Riordan had been a highly visible figure in the community for many years, serving as president of the Bridgehampton Village Improvement Society, president of the Friends of the Hampton Library, a member of the Bridgehampton School Board, and as an original member of the Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee.

New York State Assemblyman and former Southampton Town Supervisor Fred Thiele Jr. worked closely with Mr. Riordan on many local issues. “He was a thoughtful and gentle man,” Mr. Thiele recalled. “He really cared about Bridgehampton and was always ready to help the community. He was a good friend.”

Born in the Bronx on March 30, 1929, Mr. Riordan grew up in Elmhurst, Queens. He graduated from Fordham University in 1951 and served for two years as an officer in the U.S. Army before entering Harvard Law School. Graduating in 1956, he served as vice president and general counsel of the National Association of Mutual Savings Banks for more than 25 years, retiring in 1984.

An East End summer resident since 1962, Mr. Riordan moved to Bridgehampton full-time upon his retirement from NAMSB and opened a law practice on Main Street. He closed his office in 1998, but continued to practice law until 2006.

Mr. Riordan is survived by his wife of 40 years, Anne Fitzelle Riordan; three sons, James M. Riordan of Maryland, John H. Riordan of New York, and David F. Riordan of Washington, D.C.; and three grandchildren. A previous marriage to the former Maura Mulligan ended in divorce.

A funeral mass will be held at noon on Friday, December 4, at noon in Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Bridgehampton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Bridgehampton Village Improvement Society, P.O. Box 872, Bridgehampton, NY 11932 would be appreciated by the family.