Lispenard Suydam, 92, died peacefully Oct. 26. in Exeter, N.H. He was born on Sept. 11, 1918 in Blue Point, N.Y.
He is a direct descendant of early Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam (Manhattan). He was also a lifetime member of the Holland and Saint Nicholas Societies.
He graduated from the Stony Brook School and Colgate University and enlisted in the Coast Guard at the outbreak of WWII. He served as First Class Petty Officer tasked with bringing troops back from Singapore. After returning on his torpedoed ship to New York Harbor, he became a meteorologist. This experience helped him with a starting job at Brookhaven National Laboratory after the war. He was employed with BNL, as an administrator, until his retirement in 1977.
For the next 20 years he and Peggy, his wife of 67 years, lived in the Maine coastal communities of South Bristol and New Harbor. In 1999, they moved to the Riverwoods Retirement community in Exeter, N.H.
Lispenard, who described people he truly admired as “solid citizens,” lived by the same values. He served on the Blue Point School Board, was Commodore of both Bellport Yacht Club and Great South Bay Scooter Club, President of the Pattersquash Gun Club, board member of the Bellport Historical Society and a founder of the Suffolk County Marine Museum. He was a true, old school bay man of the Great South Bay whether as skipper of his Queen of The Bay winning R Boat, Senta or scootering over the frozen Bay to Fire Island. He was a gifted craftsman particularly with woodworking and restoring old boats. His meticulous approach often took longer than anticipated. However, things were not finished until done “just right.” One of his happiest days was the conclusion of the Babylon July 4th Sailing Regatta of 1962 when his three sons won each of their divisions.
He was predeceased by his father, Walter Lispenard Suydam II; mother, Elizabeth Wood Suydam; brother, Joseph Suydam; and sister, Elizabeth Von Briesen.
Lispenard is survived by his wife, Peggy of Exeter; and sons, Nardi and Bryce Suydam of Marblehead, Mass. and Peter of New Harbor; four grandchildren; and six nieces and nephews.
Remembrances can be sent to Saint Ann’s Church, Sayville, New York.
