Richdale

Peter Guy Richdale, 70, of Whitehall, Pa., passed away Tuesday.

Born in Oklahoma City, Okla., Peter grew up in Somerville, N.J.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joellen (Jody); his daughters, Kathryn Richdale of New York, N.Y., and Kristin Stellingwerf and her husband, Edward, and daughter, Emma, of Westfield, N.J.; his siblings, Suzan Luftglass of Readington, N.J., Janet Sigler of Jensen Beach, Fla., and John Richdale of West Orange, N.J., and loving sisters-in-law, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jane Englesbe and Guy Richdale Jr., and his brother, Thomas Richdale.

A natural athlete, he played basketball and baseball throughout high school, and received a scholarship to play basketball at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. At Rutgers, he was an active member of his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, serving as secretary his junior and senior years. After graduation, his love of sports continued on the golf course.

Peter was a hard-working businessman and strong community leader. He managed Sears Roebuck & Company stores in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for 18 years, and he and his wife, Jody, owned and operated two Sir Speedy printing stores in Pennsylvania for more than a decade.

Peter was a co-founder of the Butler Area Merchants Association and served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Downtown Butler Association, and Easter Seals, and was a two term President of the Butler Area Chamber of Commerce. An active member of the Butler Rotary Club for 22 years, he served as club president in 1994-95 and was awarded the Outstanding President Award for his district. He continued to serve Rotary as the secretary of the Western PA District.

He was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1981, and received an organ donation in 1993, and again in 1999. Although his organ donors chose not to be recognized by name, their gift of life allowed Peter 20 more years to live, laugh and love with friends and family. His favorite activities postretirement were woodworking and spending time being “Papa” to his granddaughter.

RICHDALE — The visitation for Peter Guy Richdale, who passed away Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Higgins & Bonner Funeral Home in Westfield, N.J. A funeral Mass will be held at the St. Helen's Parish in Westfield, N.J., at 10 a.m. Monday. A private interment will be at New Cemetery in Somerville, N.J.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the following organizations in his name, National Kidney Foundation www.kidney.org//members/source/donations, or to Rotary International, www.rotary.org/en/give.