Peter D. Richards

Peter D. Richards, born on Sept. 19, 1957 in Lafayette, California passed away on March 25, 2021 at his home in Carpinteria, where he was cared for by his loving family. Pete was diagnosed in October 2019 with squamous-cell carcinoma, and throughout his courageous battle with an aggressive cancer, he remained true to himself- unwaveringly optimistic and unbelievably stoic.

Pete’s life story reaches far and wide – his light and love have touched so many, the ripple effect of his embrace for every human he encountered shifting the world for the better. Music, typically as loud as was socially acceptable, existed in every corner of his life. The ocean was and is his spirit’s home. And his family – we were it. We were his everything, his purpose, and he made sure we felt it every day. There was nothing he loved more than sharing stories, making others laugh, and turning every occasion possible into a celebration. “You only live once,” he would say, and he made his one shot count, big time.

Peter was a beloved husband, father, brother and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Laurie, his daughter, Rio, his son, Tanner, and his granddaughter, Opal, as well as his four older brothers, Mike, Chris, Joe and Gyani. His incredible humor, love and playfulness will be deeply missed by so many.

A local memorial and celebration of his life will be planned for 4/25/21 at 11AM. More information about his memorial can be found at peterdrichards.com.