Obituary of Patricia Riordan

Patricia Julia Riordan (Pat) was born in Cambridge September 12th, 1931, the sixth child of the late Kathleen and Daniel Daley. Pat was raised and educated in Lexington and went to Arlington high school receiving the "Best Comedian Award" at graduation. 

After graduation, Pat went to nursing school and worked for several years at Winchester Hospital, Choate Hospital, Symmes Hosptial and Cambridge City Hospital.  She loved being a nurse especially in labor and delivery spending time with her favorite people in the world, babies. 

She would meet her future husband Dennis (Denny) on a blind date set up by her brother-in-law Bill after the Korean War. They married a year later in 1956 and move to Burlington in 1958 where they would raise their six children.  She left nursing to raise the family but would always answer the question “do you work” with “yes, full time, from home.”  She was very house proud and organized, instilling a strong work ethic in her kids, raising them to show respect to all people, keep a sense of humor, speak up for yourself and to never ever write on walls!

Pat was smart, active and a hard worker.  She enjoyed hunting for treasures at Yard Sales, gardening and was an avid walker throughout her life. She followed all the Boston Sports Teams with the Red Sox (especially Yaz) being her favorite. 

Pat and Denny loved camping and when the children were young they enjoyed vacations on Cape Cod and at Wells Beach. 

Denny and Pat had a wonderful retirement life. The first two years of their retirement they travelled by RV throughout the United States. They then sold their home in Burlington and split their time between condos in Plymouth and Florida. They continued to travel extensively, visiting every State. In recent years Pat lived at Stonebridge in Burlington. She enjoyed her years at Stonebridge meeting many fellow Burlington residents there. 

Pat was the beloved wife of the late Dennis Riordan. She was the loving mother to Josh Riordan of North Chelmsford, MA, Steff Riordan of Bartlett NH, Sheila O’Riordan of Nashua, NH, Patrick Riordan and his wife Pam of Pepperrell, MA, Tim Riordan and his wife Tammy of Dunwoody, GA, and MaryEllen McNamara and her husband John of Naples, FL.  Gram, as her loving grandchildren, Jack, Dennis, John, Bill, Colin, Jane and Max referred to her, will be missed. 

Services for Pat will be private. 

For online guestbook and tribute video, please visit www.sullivanfuneralhome.net