Kathleen Riordan's Legacy as an Educator and Advocate for Social Justice Remembered
Kathleen Riordan, a dedicated educator and social justice advocate, passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on February 4, 2026. Born in 1943, Riordan spent her life in Chicago, where she was deeply involved in her community. She was an alumna of Marquette University and Loyola University, where she earned her M.Ed. in Guidance & Counseling. Riordan's career in education spanned several institutions, including Mundelein College and St. Scholastica High School, where she was committed to supporting young people from diverse backgrounds. Her passion for social justice was evident in her creation of SPLASH camp, a program offering free swim lessons to underrepresented youth. Riordan was also an artist and writer, contributing a column to The Reporter, a community newspaper. Her contributions to her community included the design of a mosaic mural in Sauganash and the establishment of a Little Free Library. Riordan's life was marked by her love for travel, culture, and her family, which included her husband of ...