William "Bill" T. Riordan passed away peacefully on August 8, 2023, 5 weeks after the death of his beloved wife, Susan. Bill was the only child of Vincent and Sylvia (Long) Riordan, born October 23, 1948 at St. John’s Hospital in Salina. He lived with his parents in Solomon until the family relocated to the Riordan homestead in Saline County. From a young age, Bill demonstrated diverse talents, first as a classically trained pianist starting in childhood and then as a small aircraft pilot in young adulthood. A devout Catholic, Bill attended Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas where he met Susan Kinney, who became his dear wife of over 50 years. Bill majored in social work and worked briefly in related fields before settling into a lifetime of work for the Social Security Administration. He briefly worked for the SSA in Coffeyville and Independence before joining the SSA satellite office in Salina, where he and Susan raised their four children over two decades. Bill remained deeply connected to his family’s farming roots throughout his life. He loved old John Deere tractors and adopted several throughout his life, using them to help maintain the land his Irish immigrant ancestors homesteaded in the 19th century. He never met a chainsaw he didn’t like, nor a tool he didn’t need. He loved getting his hands dirty fixing things that were broken. He had the Irish gift of gab and was always ready with a story. Or two. Or three.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Susan, and his grandson, Kurtis. He leaves behind his four children, James, Mary, Ann, and Jennifer; as well as the many friends he made over the years.
His family would like to thank Lee Gay for all his help, as well as the hard working and loving staff at Legacy of Salina and Hospice of Salina for making Bill’s final days restful and free of fear and pain.
Bill’s wishes were to be cremated and services will be private at the convenience of family.
The family requests that donations in Bill’s memory be made to the Salina Public Library, the Manna House in Concordia, or the Central Kansas Flywheels Museum.
To send an online condolence, visit www.carlsonfh.net