Beloved Longtime Owner Of Claudio's Dies At 81

GREENPORT, NY — The face of Greenport changed forever when Bill Claudio, longtime co-owner of the iconic Claudio's restaurant, died Saturday at 81. Those who knew Claudio shed tears as they remembered a man who could captivate friends and diners for hours with his memories of the eatery's storied past— and his own rich history.

In Greenport, a community mourned.

"This past weekend, all of us at Claudio's were saddened to hear of the passing of Bill Claudio," the new owners of Claudio's wrote. "He was a fixture of the restaurant and the Village of Greenport, as well as a dedicated veteran serving our nation in Vietnam. The staff, management and ownership of Claudio's offer our deepest sympathies to his family during this difficult time."

Claudio's was owned by the same family for more than 147 years and was sold in 2018. More familiar faces at the restaurant were Claudio's wife Jan, along with Kathy Claudio and Beatrice and Jerry Tuthill.

"I first met Bill around 40 years ago when he was a disc jockey at WRIV in Riverhead and I was writing commercials for various local businesses," said John D. Williams Jr. "He was a natural storyteller with an anecdote for every topic. He brought these gifts to Claudio's restaurant several years later. No one could work a room like Bill. Among other things, he was the emcee for the Maritime Festival in its early years and he loved the fact that his distinct, booming voice could be heard throughout the village during the event. In a village of remarkable characters, he was definitely one of the most noteworthy."

In 2015, when the Tall Ships Festival in Greenport featured the Sagres, a ship that symbolized a meaningful tie to the past for the family who established the historic Claudio’s restaurant in 1870, Claudio was proud, he told Southold Local.

At the time, Claudio discussed his family’s rich ties to Portugal: Back in the 1800s, Greenport was a bustling whaling port, and vessels from across the globe would frequent its waters, looking for safe harbor to replenish supplies and rest before the next long voyage out to sea, he told the publication.

In 1854, a Portuguese whaler, Neva, which set sail from Fayal in the Azores, was docked in Greenport, with a young whaler, Manuel Claudio, who, by 1870, had enough savings so that he was able to disembark in Greenport and never sail the world again. Manuel Claudio opened Claudio’s Tavern that year, Claudio told Southold Local.

“The Tall Ships festival is exciting in itself,” Claudio told Southold Local. “Having the opportunity to connect our family’s heritage with the arrival of the Sagres is going to make this an unforgettable event.”

Claudio loved to share stories of his time flying in the Air Force, his adventures traveling to far-away locales, and his love of acting. While he was dedicated to running the family business, he said, in a past interview, that the time had come to retire. Claudio's had long been the oldest single-family run restaurant in the country before the sale.

Memorial visitation will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home, 735 First St., Greenport. A chapel service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home. Interment to follow at Cutchogue Cemetery.

Donations may be made to the Air Warrior Courage Foundation, PO Box 877, Silver Spring, Maryland.