Lorraine M. Rickman

Lorraine Hughes Rickman (Sept. 30, 1938 – Oct. 27, 2021) believer in Jesus Christ, was returned to her savior on Wednesday, October 27th in Lee County, Florida surrounded by her family. Until the very end of her life, Lorraine played golf with a passion, organized & attended social events, donated her time to local non-profits, and traveled the world as a self-proclaimed "Wander luster and Pioneer Woman". Lorraine was born and raised in Patchogue, New York. (or as Lorraine would often say, "New Yawwk") by parents R. Ford Hughes (former Suffolk County Republican Leader) & Katherine (Kate) Aviano Hughes.
"Rainy" as she was known by her close friends, grew up on the South Shore of a small Long Island town with her brother Robert L. Hughes who pre-deceased her. Summers were spent at her parent's cottage on West Meadow Beach clamming and picking beach plums for preserving in jams to enjoy over the cold winter months. She attended Patchogue High School & graduated from Seton Hall High School with the Class of 1956, where she met and eventually married her high school sweetheart, the late Theodore (Ted) J. Rickman. The couple both attended Syracuse University where Lorraine studied at The School of Nursing and later completed her BSN & MSN at Stony Brook University as a Nurse Practitioner. The couple eventually returned to Long Island to raise the 3rd generation of Patchogue girls, Cheryl L. Rickman, Kathleen E. Rickman (1962-1969) and Stacey C. Rickman-King.
While spending the formative years with her children as a stay-at-home mom, Rainy volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader, was the PTA President at Barton Ave. Elementary School, and was the Girls' Softball Coach. She was also a Past-President of the Women's Club of Patchogue, Past-President of the Suffolk County Nurses Association, and ran for Suffolk County Legislator in 1985.
Rainy was a woman who lived with intent, was intelligent, had tireless energy and relentless compassion for those in need. As her partner, the late Robert Morton (aka "Bobarino") fondly referred to Rainy as, "the friend to the friendless." You never knew who she might invite to the beach house for the weekend, Christmas Dinner or perhaps even to a trip to Europe. If you ever ended up in jail and had only one phone call to make; she was your gal. Lorraine would show-up and circle the wagons when the rest of the world didn't care. The busier Rainy was and the more projects she could take on, the happier she was. The momentum and zest with which she lived life was indescribable. If you could not keep up, it was best to get out of her way!
In addition to her daughters, Lorraine is survived by her grandsons Cole Alexander Tsakis and Jonathan Ford Tsakis and her nieces Bonnie Hughes-Sullivan, Wendy Hughes-Cris and nephew Peter R. Hughes.
A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on Thursday, November 4th at 11a.m. A link to live stream the service is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzoFYIsVSlw and can also be found on the Shikany Funeral home website https://www.shikanyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor:
Stony Brook University School of Nursing Fund for Excellence https://www.stonybrook.edu/alumni/chapters/school-of-nursing/
or
Café of Life, Bonita Springs https://www.cafeoflife.org/donation/
To sign Lorraine's guest book or to leave on line condolences, please visit www.ShikanyFuneralHome.com
Arrangements are being handled by Shikany's Bonita Funeral Home & Crematory Family Owned and Operated Since 1978