Richard A. (Pete) Peterson |
| Posted 2009-01-05 by Miss Holley King |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, Arizona December 31, 2008 A well-known voice and personality in Wickenburg, Richard “Pete” Peterson passed away at his home Monday morning (Dec. 29). Peterson was possibly best known for his voice on KBSZ AM 1250 Radio here in town, as well as announcing Wickenburg High School Wrangler sporting events. Not only did “Peppy Pete” work at the station while he was in high school in the 1960s, but he returned to Wickenburg to first manage then own the local radio station. Pete was born Feb. 8, 1945 in Riverton, Wyo., to Paul E. Peterson and Venice Bedlow Peterson. The family moved to Wickenburg in 1951 and Pete began attending school at the Little Red Schoolhouse. In his sophomore year of high school Pete began working at the local radio station - then KAKA - later graduating from Wickenburg High School in 1963. He met Jo Ann Murphy in Wickenburg and they married in 1964. The couple left Wickenburg in 1968 and Pete learned the radio business, operating and managing stations in the Midwest, eventually owning two stations in Texas. They returned to Wickenburg in 1978, and Pete began managing the local AM radio station. He also worked in real estate and couriered for The Wickenburg Sun while working part time for KSWG FM in Wickenburg. In 2000 Pete and Jo purchased KBSZ AM 1250, which they operated together until earlier in 2008, when they sold the business and retired. A feature of KBSZ that noticeably changed with the ownership was Pete Peterson’s “Around the Town” morning show. Peterson interviewed nearly 1000 people, by his estimate, and obviously enjoyed the experience. “The fun part of the business has been interacting with the people,” Peterson said in an interview after the sale of the radio station. “I absolutely love doing the interviews on the morning show and especially the play-by-play broadcasting of the Wickenburg High sports teams. Those things I’ll miss.” Pete was active in the community. He was a past president of the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Rotary Club. He had served as sports announcer for the Wickenburg High School and served as the announcer for “Gold Rush Days” parade for years. He had been the broadcaster for Wickenburg’s Fourth of July festivities for more than 25 years. Peterson served on Wickenburg’s Planning and Zoning Commission and was a Town Councilman in the early 1990s. Pete also loved his horses. He and Jo raised and raced Thoroughbreds, keeping the animals on property south of Wickenburg, at a place he called “The Corrals.” Fans of one of his winners, “Sunny’s Prancer” would often gather at the Up Your Alley Bowling Center (now closed) to watch races and cheer the horse to victory. Pete’s wife Jo, his mother Venice Peterson, brothers Bruce, Doug, Martin and Russell, as well as one of his sons - Jerry - all still reside in Wickenburg. His son Jeffrey lives in San Diego, Calif. Funeral services for Pete Peterson will be held on Friday (Jan. 2) at 2 p.m. at Wickenburg Funeral Home with visitation on Thursday (Jan. 1) from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. A fund is being established to help defray Pete’s medical costs. See Julie Brooks at the Chamber of Commerce for more information (684-5479). See Also: Find a Grave |
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