Richard Raymond Peterson entered this life on April 22, 1943, and passed out of this life on November 16, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents, G. Raymond Peterson and Lois Box Peterson. He is survived by his sister, Carol Ann Starr and her husband Frank D. Starr, of Lufkin, Texas; by his niece, Dr. Elizabeth Starr and her husband Dr. Mark Nimkoff, of Southampton, Massachusetts; and by his nephew, Justin Starr, of Kingsport, Tennessee.
Dick was a graduate of McCallum High School in Austin and of the University of Texas at Austin. During his school years he was an athlete, participated in debate, and served in student government. Following graduation he served in the United States Air Force, working in television production at the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Dick's working career is summed up well in the program notes accompanying his induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame on October 12, 2016.
Dick Peterson served as executive producer of Austin City Limits from 2000-2008, but his involvement with the show began much earlier. As director of production for KLRU-TV, he set professional standards that helped Austin City Limits become the award-winning program it is today. An Austin native, Dick began working at KLRU (then KLRN) in the mid-60's. After a stint in the Air Force, he returned to public television, working in Pittsburgh, Houston, and Phoenix before landing in Hollywood. Dick worked on The Bob Newhart Show, Maude, and Maggie Briggs – star Suzanne Pleshette called him her favorite editor. Dick returned to KLRU in 1984 as director from 9:00 to 11:00 am, of production and became, following the retirement of ACL co-creator Bill Arhos, ACL's executive producer in 2000, a role he held until his own retirement ten years later. "Some of my best years have been spent at KLRU with a great group of experienced, creative, dedicated friends that are the best in the country," he said after a near-50 year career in television. "I am one lucky dude."
Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, November 24, 2018 followed by funeral services at 11:00 a.m. at Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas. Interment will be private.
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