Richard Patrick Petersen

Resident of Castro Valley

03/23/1927 – 09/12/2024

Richard (Pete) Petersen was born to Richard Petersen of Nyborg, Denmark and Hannah Rose Snee of County Sligo, Ireland on March 23, 1927, at home in Patterson, California, the Apricot Capital of the World. In order of birth, Pete’s parents had Margaret Mary, Paul, Barbara, Pete and John.

Pete attended St Joseph’s Catholic School grades K-12 in Alameda. At age 16, he met Mary Alice at a Catholic teen summer club, and they started dating in their junior year of high school.

Pete earned his B.A. in Liberal Arts at Saint Mary’s Catholic College in Moraga. He joined the US military at age 18 and served from August 1945 to July 1946.

Pete and Mary Alice married at 21. They adopted 2 children, Gary (1951-2007) and Gwen (1955-1990). Mary Alice passed in 2016. Pete is survived by 5 grandchildren: George Kiessling Jr., Giulie Kiessling-Humphrey, Grant Kiessling, Jesse Petersen & Amy Petersen; 3 great grandchildren: Dallas & Damion Humphrey and George Kiessling

VII, son-in-law George Kiessling Sr., daughter-in-law Laura Bennett, Bent, Rita, Henrik, Magnus and Viktor Petersen of Denmark, and many other relatives.

Pete enjoyed reading non-fiction, playing golf and bridge and poker, and traveling all over the US with Mary Alice in their R.V.

Pete’s 30-year career with the Alameda Probation Department ended with him retiring as the South County Office Manager.

In 2010, Pete and Mary Alice moved to Baywood Court Apartments in Castro Valley. Pete was president of the Residents’ Association, director of the Resident Funded Annual Educational Scholarships for Employees, and performed in the Non-Strolling Players Theater Group, and pruned the rose gardens for many years. He also designed and led the fundraiser for the large and beautiful fish tank in Baywood Court near the Health Center.

All his life Pete was active in the Catholic Church and held a strong belief that whatever happened was part of God’s Plan. His faith helped him endure sorrows in his life that ran very deep. His older sister Margaret Mary passed suddenly of a weak heart when he was 10, and his father passed when Pete was 12, and Pete’s daughter died at 37, and his son at 55, and his wife of 64 years died in in 2016. Pete was her steadfast companion and care giver.

Family and friends are welcome to celebrate Pete’s life on Oct. 4 at Church of the Transfiguration, 4000 East Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley: Service at 11 a.m., followed by a lunch reception, and 2 pm burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 26320 Mission Blvd, Hayward.