Richard A. Riddell

RIDDELL

RICHARD A. RIDDELL RADM, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Rear Admiral Richard Anderson "Dick" Riddell, U.S. Navy, Retired, died peacefully in his Arlington, Virginia home on May 27, 2022 at age 81. The cause of death was Parkinson's disease. He served in the Navy's nuclear submarine force (1962-1998), retiring as a two-star admiral, and was the last commanding officer of the USS NAUTILUS, the world's first nuclear powered submarine.



Dick Riddell commanded Nautilus from 1976 until its decommissioning in March, 1980. He then worked for the Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, Admiral Hyman Rickover, father of the nuclear navy. Dick also served as Commander, Submarine Squadron One in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Later, he served simultaneously as Commander, Submarine Group Nine and Naval Base Seattle. As Commander of Group Nine, he was responsible for operational readiness of all U.S. ballistic submarines in the Pacific. In addition to service on three other nuclear submarines in his career, Dick Riddell had four tours at the Pentagon in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations, concluding as the Director of Test, Evaluation and Technology Requirements and the Navy representative to NATO's Naval Armaments Committee. His awards included the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit (five awards).



Following retirement from the Navy, Dick was Director of Underseas Programs at General Dynamics' corporate headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. He retired in December, 2006 because of advancing Parkinson's disease symptoms. In retirement, he served on the Accokeek Foundation Board of Directors and was an active participant in programs of the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area (PFNCA). In 2013 he published his autobiography, Through My Periscope (available on Amazon). All proceeds from the book went to support the PFNCA.



Dick Riddell was born November 20,1940, in Cambridge, Maryland, the only child of Edward Leo Riddell, Jr. and Katherine Insley Riddell. He grew up in the Washington, DC area and graduated from Wheaton (Maryland) high school. Upon graduation in 1958, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated in June, 1962 and was accepted into the Navy Nuclear Submarine Force.



Dick is survived by Anne Price Fortney, his wife of 36 years, and his children Joel Riddell and Amy Gunter, daughter-in-law Dawn Riddell, son-in-law Michael Gunter, grandchildren Chase Riddell, Sophia Robinson (and her husband David), Michaela Gunter, Grayson Gunter, and Walker Gunter, as well as his West Highland Terriers, Marlowe and Jenny. An early marriage to Joan Barnhill ended in divorce.



Dick's survivors also include his caregivers Fathia Adams, Fatmata Neal, Alie Thullah, Manju Kabba, and Michael Williams, whose skill and dedication enabled Dick to manage Parkinson's disease in comfort and with dignity in his home until his death, twenty-five years after initial diagnosis.



Dick pursued a wide range of interests with his wife Anne, including photography, wood-working, home remodeling (he was a superb draftsman), and while his health permitted, jogging, hiking, scuba diving, cycling, and world travel. He regaled his grandchildren with his cartoon drawings and zany sense of humor. Kind and cheerful by nature, he always said the two important things in life were "to have a good time and help other people." He lived those words through generosity to family, friends, and those less fortunate, and, as another officer on the Nautilus remarked, Dick showed you could have a good time while commanding a nuclear-powered submarine. (The Nautilus is open to visitors at the U.S. Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut.)



RADM Riddell will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. Memorial contributions would be welcome at the Accokeek Foundation, (accokeek.org) and The Parkinson's Foundation of the National Capital Area (parkinsonfoundation.org).