Stony Brook University Remembers Peter Richard

The Stony Brook community is mourning the passing of Peter Richard, the retired executive vice president of the P.C. Richard & Son, whose generosity established the Pediatric Emergency Department Expansion Fund. He passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on March 16, 2026, surrounded by his loving family in East Northport, New York. 

“I’ve always enjoyed being around children because I like to teach them things that I have learned,” Richard said at the time of his gift in 2018, “and I want them to be happy. It makes me very proud that I am able to do something like this for children.”

After experiencing the care their then nine-year-old granddaughter received for trauma resulting from a fall from a horse nearly two decades before, Richard and his wife, Nancy, were moved to make an impactful gift to help expand the emergency room and meet the growing demand for pediatric emergency services in the region.

The lobby of Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is now known as the Peter and Nancy Richard Family Foundation Lobby.

“Stony Brook Children’s Hospital is profoundly grateful for the support of Peter and Nancy,” said Dr. William Wertheim, executive vice president at Stony Brook Medicine. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family in this difficult time.”

Peter was a decorated Armed Services veteran who lived for 60 years in Fort Salonga. He is predeceased by wife Nancy and is survived by brother Gary, his five children (Susan, Kim, Patricia, Peter, Jennifer), 14 grandchildren (Courtney, Christian, Lauren, Zachary, Victoria, Robert, Matthew, Peter Jr, Ashley, Sarah, Hannah, Luke, Amanda, Natalie), and great-grandchild Kassidy. 

Community members who wish to make a gift to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in Peter’s memory may do so at sbugiving.com/peter.