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NAMPA - Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Thursday at the
Flahiff Funeral Chapel, Nampa, for Benjamin R. “Ben” Riordan,
89, of 303 Elder, who died Tuesday at a Nampa hospital.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday at
St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Interment will be at Mt. Calvary
Cemetery.
He was born May 14, 1882, at Greenbush, Sheboygan County,
Wis., the son of Stephen J. and Eleanor O’Rourk Riordan. He
attended school at Plymouth, Wis., and received a bachelor of
science degree in 1906 at the Valpariso University. He did
graduate study at the University of Wisconsin and was an
honors graduate at the University of Montana in 1917 with
bachelor of arts and bachelor of laws degrees.
He married Ida Hurst of St. Thomas, N.D., on Nov. 15,
1915. He was admitted to the bar in Montana and Idaho in
1917. He taught school in Wisconsin in 1903 and 1904, taught
in the Pocatello and Bingham County schools systems from 1906
to 1908, was superintendent of schools at Downey, Shelley,
Post Falls and Bonners Ferry, and was principal of high
schools in Nampa and Payette from 1917 to 1920. He served
four terms as prosecuting attorney in Owyhee County from 1921
to 1929 and was in the private practice of law at Nampa from
1929 to 1934. He was elected probate judge for Canyon County
in 1934 and served continuously until he retired in December
of 1960.
He was president of the Idaho Probate Judges Association,
serving in that capacity for three years. He was a director
of the Idaho State Social workers, member of the Governor’s
Safety Committee, member of the committee of the Idaho State
Bar for revision of rules of civil procedure, and a past
president of the Seventh District Bar Association. He
received the Good Government Award from the Jaycees in 1953.
He was a former member of the Knights of Columbus and was
Grand Knight of that Organization. He was a former member of
Lodge No. 1389, BPOE, in Nampa.
Surviving are his wife, Ida; three daughters, Mrs.
Marguerite “Peggy” Schweizer and Mrs. John F. (Mary) Niland,
both of Nampa, and Mrs. George (Kathleen) Rosandick, Caldwell;
two sons, Richard L. Riordan and Dr. Ben R. Riordan, both of
Nampa, 22 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Tim Rosandick, John F.
Niland, Mike Niland, Ben Riordan III, Dan Riordan and Rich
Riordan.
The family suggests memorials be given to a favorite
charity, or flowers may be sent. |
