Richard Francis Fehn

Richard Francis Fehn, 76, a resident of Bellport, New York for more than forty years, died suddenly on Monday, September 12, 2022. Rich would have you know that he had the body that men feared and women loved. Raised in West Islip, Rich graduated “Best Dressed” from West Islip High School. He served in the US Marines and was a combat veteran of the Vietnam War; after the war he went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree at Cornell University.

Rich was drawn to saltwater.  He was an ocean lifeguard, manning chairs at Jones Beach, Oak Beach, and Gilgo; an avid sailor; and he logged countless hours fishing for tuna offshore, striped bass off the beach, and fluking and digging for clams in the Great South Bay. He could surf and body surf and catch a tan with the best of them.  

A natural athlete, Rich was a wrestler and baseball player, and he loved a long run around Bellport with his kids in tow on their bikes.  He grew up a diehard Brooklyn Dodgers fan; when they moved to LA he shifted allegiance to the New York Mets.  He’s still calling it Shea.

As Rich used to say, he “ate and drank like he was going to the electric chair,” day in and day out.  He was a creative and enthusiastic cook, and he shucked clams wherever he went. Most importantly he brought a bag of ice to any party he attended. That’s “just what you do.” His imagination and creativity extended beyond the kitchen; his aesthetic sensibilities were present in his beautiful gardens, sculptures, carvings, and paintings. He brought a sense of magic and fun to everything and everyone he touched.

More than anything, Rich loved his family. He is survived by his adoring wife, Maureen; they were best friends and wonderful travel partners, and were to celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary this December.  He is also survived by his four children, Erin Dillard and her husband Brian of Bellport and Singapore, Peter of Manhattan, Julie Denomme and her husband André of Ontario, Canada, and Michael of Westhampton; his three grandsons, Charlie (9), Wesley (7) and Jack (2), and his sister, Francine Lindsey and her husband Michael of Austin, Texas.

Friends and relatives will gather at Raynor and D’Andrea Funeral Home in Bayport on Monday, September 19 from 2-4:30 & 7-9:30 p.m.  The funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Snow RC Church in Blue Point on Tuesday, September 20 at 9:45 a.m.  The Mass will be followed by a burial service at Woodland Cemetery in Bellport. 

In lieu of flowers, the family humbly asks that contributions be made in Rich’s memory to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation. The Foundation provides scholarships to children of fallen military and federal law enforcement officers.