Richard C. Petura Jr., 80, died Thursday, March 2, 2023, at Pullman Regional Hospital in Pullman. He and his beloved wife, Barbara Petura, shared 54 years of marriage.
A son of the late Virginia (Chute) and Richard Petura, he was born in 1942 in Hackensack, N.J., and grew up in central New York (Syracuse and Skaneateles). He graduated from Skaneateles Central High School in 1960. He was an avid reader and dog lover from an early age.
Rick served in the U.S. Navy (July 1963 to July 1967) as radar technician (ER5) at the Charleston, S.C. Naval Base, where he serviced radar systems on the base minesweepers.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Lafayette College (1969) and Master of Science in engineering from University of Idaho (1973).
He was employed from 1969-1970 by Exxon as its research facility in Florham Park, N.J. Upon relocation to the Northwest, he followed a sports career in sled dog racing from the early 1970s to the late 1980s. He raised Siberian huskies, which he raced in Northwest U.S. and Western Canada. In 1986, he and his team raced in the 500-mile Governor’s Cup in Montana. He was a contributor to Northern Dog News, and published newsletters and books in Heritage North Press on sled dog racing.
Along with his beloved wife, he is survived by brother John Petura (Susan), of Holly Springs, N.C., niece Maree Vahue (Scott), of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., nephew Kenyon Petura, of Lawrence Township, N.J., niece Erica Adams (Zach), of Milford, Ohio, niece Bethany Harris (Robert), of Cincinnati, and other family members. He was predeceased by sister Nancy-Jean Webel (Dan), of Milford.
No public services are planned and Richard will be laid to rest at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Corbeill Funeral Home, Pullman, is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lafayette College Library, Washington State University Science Library or a charity of personal choice.
