Benjamin Kennedy Riney
March 12, 1987 - March 18, 2018
Benjamin Kennedy Riney died Sunday March 18, 2018 in his home state of California at age 31. He is survived by his wife Meaghan Riney, his mother Liz Kennedy Myers, his sister Samantha Elizabeth Riney, and his stepmother Elizabeth Sutherland Riney. Ben was the son of renowned adman and loving father Hal Riney (d. 2008), and enjoyed a close relationship with his caring stepfather Michael Edward Myers (d. 2015).
Everyone fortunate enough to have known Ben understands the meaning of loyalty and has a story or two to tell. A true San Franciscan, Ben grew up on Telegraph Hill and migrated only as far as Russian and Nob Hills. He graduated from Town School for Boys, where he was nicknamed “The Rhino” and excelled at basketball and baseball, once striking out 17 batters in 6 innings. In 2005, he graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory where his nickname became “Bear” and he starred in yet another sport, football, winning Freshman Lineman of the year award. Feared by opponents and admired by teammates, Ben played as he lived – with intensity – and he left everything on the field.
In 2010, Ben graduated from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. He earned straight A’s in his major, but his most important undergraduate achievement was meeting his future wife, Meg. Ben and Meg were married in 2015, celebrating at the Fairmont San Francisco with hundreds of friends and loved ones. Avid travelers, Ben and Meg have explored the world from the Americas to Africa to Europe, to their favorite getaway – Jones Cay off the coast of Honduras.
Ben started his first job in advertising as an intern at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, before joining Publicis & Hal Riney fulltime, honoring the memory of his father. Ben was a natural at copywriting and strategy, fueled by his innate creativity and relentless work ethic. Eventually the desk job could not contain Ben’s adventurous spirit, and he left the agency in 2014 to pursue a career in law enforcement. Ben joined the Daly City Police Department, and during his first year was awarded Officer of the Quarter for assisting a family impacted by domestic violence. He later earned a spot on the elite SWAT team and took a leadership role in the recruiting and field training of new officers. Ben proudly served on the force for more than three years, and was recognized by his colleagues as both a top achiever and a selfless team player.
With diverse talents and interests, Ben was driven to maximize every spare moment of life. From a young age, he was a competent outdoorsman like his father. Ben was a skilled fly fisherman, duck hunter, and dedicated steward of the coral reefs surrounding Guanaja, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras. When not on the road, Ben could be found barbecuing on his balcony on Nob Hill, or out in North Beach enjoying a beer with his many friends from all walks of life. For Ben, life and friendship were synonymous. We will miss his dry wit and his ear-to-ear smile. We will always remember the epic adventures, late nights, and countless laughs he shared with us. Above all, Ben was deeply loyal and would do anything for those he loved: country, community, family and friends.
A celebration of Ben’s life will be held at Golden Gate Club in the Presidio on Sunday, April 15th at 3:00pm to 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited or The Coral Reef Alliance. And especially, go fishing and think of Ben.