Peter Richards

SARASOTA, Fla. ; Dr. Peter Richards, beloved family physician, 73, died unexpectedly Tuesday, April 8, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota.

Peter was born on Sept. 5, 1934, in London, England, the oldest of three children. He attended the University College Hospital Medical School in London, England, where he received his medical degree. He served with the British Army as a doctor in Ghana, Africa, in the 1950s. At one point during his service, he was drafted by the United Nations for service in the Congo and was captured as a prisoner of war. He was one of the few of his battalion to survive. Once back in England, he began work at Hammersmith Hospital where he met a young nurse from South Africa named Elizabeth Toye. They married in 1965 and settled outside of London where Peter became a partner in private family practice. Here they had two children, Philippa and Mark.

In 1977 the family moved to New Hampshire where Peter took over a successful family practice in Somersworth. Peter was a popular family physician who regularly made house calls especially to his elderly patients who were unable to drive. He was an active member of the local medical community during those years in New Hampshire, and was much loved. In 1978 Peter got his pilots license and shortly thereafter became a flight instructor. He combined his love of medicine and flying and became licensed as a senior airline medical examiner.

Peter was a lover of wildlife and nature and was a registered wildlife rehabilitator for the state of New Hampshire. Peter's love for the outdoors didn't stop with animals; he was an avid gardener as well as ornithologist, knowing not only every flower, but also the birds that visited them. Peter loved classical music and after receiving a violin from a patient 20 years ago, he took lessons and eventually played with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra.

He retired from private practice seven years ago and he and his wife Liz bought a second home in Sarasota, Fla. Peter continued to work as a senior airline medical examiner from his office in Dover, N.H., and performed Federal Aviation Administration physicals for pilots.

He was a wonderfully kind and gentle man, who loved people and conversation. He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth, sisters, Philippa Shenon of San Francisco, and Edwina Cusdin, of Sussex, England, his children, Philippa Richards Coates and her husband Robert Coates of South Pomfret, Vermont, and Mark Richards and his wife Jennifer Richards of Denver, Colo., and three grandchildren, Claire, Will, and Ian Coates. Lastly, Peter is survived by his beloved yellow Labrador retriever, Sam, who was Peter's faithful companion, and accompanied him to work each and every day.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate Peter's life on Saturday, May 10, at 11 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, N.H. Donations may be sent to the New Hampshire Audubon Society.

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