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In Passing Dr. Ira Lee Riddle
In Passing Dr. Ira Lee Riddle In Passing
| In Passing |
| Dr. Ira Lee Riddle |
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| By Joan DuBois | |
| July 15, 2009 | |
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Dr. Ira Lee Riddle, prominent chess official from Pennsylvania, dies at 62
Dr. Ira Lee Riddle, one of the most prominent chess officials in this country and a resident of Warminster, Pennsylvania, died of a heart attack on Monday, July 6, aboard a cruise ship touring England. He was 62. Dr. Riddle and his wife were on a cruise around Great Britain and were at their last port of call before disembarking and going to Stonehenge, Havre de Grace, France, when he suffered a heart attack after going on deck to get some air and could not be revived. He was born on October 2, 1946 in Oakland, California, the son of Charles Lee Riddle, a career U.S. Navy man. As a young boy Dr. Riddle lived in Hawaii, where a neighbor of his, who was an avid chess player, realized that this 4-year-old lad was able to quickly grasp the strategy involved in chess.He worked with Riddle and helped him develop a deeper love for the game. After moving back to the continental United States at age 5, Dr. Riddle graduated in 1964 from Christiana High School in Newark, Delaware. With an interest in mathematics that started while he was living in Hawaii, he went on to further his education and received a bachelor of arts degree in 1968 from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, with a dual major in math and speech drama. In 1969 he received a master of science degree in speech education from the State University of New York at Geneseo. He also received a master of science degree in mathematics education from Penn State University. He was awarded a doctor of education degree in math education from Temple University in 1990. Prior to being awarded his doctorate, Dr. Riddle taught math at various schools on the East coast, starting with a junior high school in Orange Park, Florida and later at schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He retired in 1998 after 29 years of teaching junior high and high school math. But within six weeks after his retirement, he found himself teaching again - this time being recruited as a lecturer at the Penn State University campus at Abington. In addition to his math credentials, Dr. Riddle was prominent in U.S. Chess. He was not only a USCF national tournament director but he also earned the title of international arbiter, awarded to him 1986 by the World Chess Federation (FIDE). He directed many hundreds of tournaments, including the 1987 U.S. Open in Portland, Oregon, and the 1990 U.S. Open in Jacksonville, Florida. He also assisted at numerous other U.S. Opens, including the 1988 U.S. Open at the Hotel Lafayette in Boston. He also directed U.S. Junior Opens, Pan-American Intercollegiate Team championships, the 2003 U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Amateur Team South championships, Pennsylvania State championships, Delaware State championships, the Denker Tournament of High School Champions, and innumerable scholastic and adult team tournaments, among others. He was also employed for many years as a TD for the Continental Chess Association-sponsored tournaments, including the World Open. He was co-editor of the U.S. Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess, 4th edition. He served as president of the Pennsylvania State Chess Federation from 1978 to 2002 and continued as a PSCF vice president for the East region of the state. He was editor of The Pennswoodpusher from 1980 to 2001 and also had edited the Delaware Chess Newsletter, starting in 2004. He was president of the Chess Journalists of America from 1989 to 1995 and editor of The Chess Journalist from 1991 to 1993. At the time of his death, he was the CJA's vice president. He was chief judge of the CJA awards program from 1992 to 1995 and continued as a judge right up to the present. He wrote more than a hundred articles for various chess publications, including those for Chess Life and for the TDCC Corner in the former USCF rating supplements. In addition to chess, Dr. Riddle directed plays and musicals, officiated wrestling and softball games, and coached soccer and track. He had a myriad of interests. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Polly J. Riddle. A memorial service will be held Friday, July 17, at 11 a.m. at the Chapel at Ann's Choice, 30000 Ann's Choice Way, Warminster, PA 18974. Donations in his memory may be made to MACA's Living Memorial Chess Fund, c/o Robert D. Messenger, MACA Treasurer, 4 Hamlett Drive #12, Nashua, NH 03062-4641 Obituary provided by George Mirijanian, Publications Coordinator - Massachusetts Chess Association. Ira Lee Riddle - May you rest in peace. |