Richard Alan Peters

Richard Alan Peters of Bath went to be with the Lord on August 14, 2021, at the age of 90. Dick was a lifelong resident of the Akron area, having attended Forest Hill School across the street from his boyhood home on North Hill in Akron. He graduated from North High School in 1949 and The Ohio State University in June 1953, after marrying the love of his life, Harriet, in December 1952. Upon graduation, Dick was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force where he went on to earn his pilot wings.  Dick returned to the Akron area in 1956 when he moved to Bath and began flying for Firestone and the Ohio Air National Guard. Dick eventually became chief pilot and the manager of the Firestone flight operations until his retirement in 1990. Harriet and Dick raised their family in Bath, where he served as a deacon, elder, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the former Ghent Christian Church, and where he was a founding member of the former Bath Goodtimes Club. Dick and Harriet loved to camp. Each summer the family traveled all the US with their camping trailer, going as far as California to visit Disneyland.  In later years they treated their children and grandchildren to over 20 trips to Walt Disney World resort and to numerous campgrounds across the US. Dick was a proud member of the Quiet Birdmen, American Legion, the Masonic Lodge and the Tadmor Temple, the Alumni Associations of North High School and Ohio State, the ASPCA, the Bath United Church of Christ, and the Gumdippers (Bridgestone-Firestone retirement group).

Proud of his military service, Dick was the son of a WWI Army veteran, the father of two Air Force officers and one Navy officer, as well as grandfather to two granddaughters currently serving in the US Navy. Dick’s loyalty to his country, to living in Northeastern Ohio, and to the OSU Buckeyes is legendary; so too was his great love of American automobiles. He owned over 50 vehicles in his lifetime, once purchasing two on the same day. His love of dogs, especially the four German Shepherds he owned, was renowned, as well. Above all, Dick was a family man, who loved splashing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in his backyard pool or sailing on Lake Gaston at breakneck speed in his Sea Ray. Preceded in death by his wife of 61 years and sons David and Mark, Dick is survived by his son Chris (Kim) of Wake Forest, NC, his daughters Suzanne Peters (USAF Retired) and Kathy Roberts (Mark) of Bath, five granddaughters--Katie Peters-Xiong (LT. Jimmy Xiong, USN) of VA; Sarah Joyner (Mitchell) of NC;  LCDR Lauren Peters, USN (LCDR Savannah, USN) of VA; Christina Morris (Patrick) of Bath; LT. Samantha Roberts, USN, of VA—and seven great-grandchildren: Mason and Garrett Joyner, Harper and Theodore Peters, Carmelina and Vincenzo Morris, and Charlotte Peters-Xiong. 

A celebration of this great man’s 90 years of life will take place on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at the Bath United Church of Christ. Visitation will be at the church from 12-1 PM; the service will take place from 1-2 PM.  Interment will be at Rose Hill following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. Per COVID-19 guidelines, unvaccinated guests must wear masks. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Summa Hospice of Summit County and the angels who cared for Dick at St. Edwards the final week of his life.

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