Ritchard Pintauro died on August 4 at his home in Noyac after a long battle with cancer. He was 66.
He was born in Brooklyn to Dorothy (née Meurer) and Anthony Pintauro, longtime residents of North Haven.
From an early age, he expressed a passion for automobiles, mechanics, and auto racing. He was an avid fan of Formula One and Ferrari his entire life.
Raised in Elmont, New York, and Sag Harbor, Pintauro became a full-time resident of Sag Harbor in 1986, and ran Rit-Lyn Motors, an automotive business in Bridgehampton, for 40 years at the original Corrigan’s service station on Montauk Highway. In his business, he restored countless antique and classic automobiles, including collectible Italian sports cars and American muscle cars of the 1960s and ’70s. A well-known and present member of the community, he was recognized for his signature Ferrari hat and racing jacket.
He spent much of his life and time on the East End, fishing the waters around Sag Harbor and Montauk, taking overnight fishing trips for shark, billfish, and tuna, and morning and evening trips for striped bass. A fishing captain at heart, he spent hours at the helm of his family’s bay boat, Sundance, on which he would take his children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins fishing in Peconic Bay.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Lynnette (Pellegrini) Pintauro; his son Michael Pintauro; his daughter Jaclyn Memoli and husband Christopher; his grandchildren, Lucian, Agatha, and Dorothy; his sister Barbara; and his brother Robert. He was predeceased by his brother Frank.
Services will be held on Thursday, August 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home, 91 Hampton St., Sag Harbor. A funeral will be held on Friday, August 18, at 11 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Church in Sag Harbor.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to East End Hospice (eeh.org).
Staff Writer on Aug 8, 2023