Richard Bruce Peterson

Richard Bruce Peterson, age 70, passed away peacefully in Sterling on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Richard, also known as Dick by his family or Papa Rich by his grandkids had spent the past five years in Sterling Living Center and Rehab. He made friends with many staff members and residents and was affectionately known as Papa. Dick will be laid to rest in a family plot at the Pleasant View Cemetery outside of Imperial, Nebraska on Friday, April 17, 2026.

Richard was born in Wray, Colorado on March 18, 1956, to Carl Hans Peterson and Phyllis Hattie Eastin. He was the third of four children and was raised in the sandhills north of Wray, Colorado. He loved growing up there and participated in wrestling, baseball and football, graduating in 1974 from Wray High School. He attended UNC in Greeley, CO for one year before returning to the family farm.

Dick, as his family called him, loved the land and particularly loved farming and gardening. However, his vagabond soul took over, and he traversed America in his semi-truck. He lived in many places including Benkelman, North Platte, Hershey, Maxwell and Brule. He owned Peterson Enterprises and hauled goods around the US making friends everywhere he went.

In March 1977, he married Charla Matthews and they were married for 10 years living at the lake at Longshot north of Wray. In 1982, they welcomed their only daughter Brittany (Peterson) Kloberdanz in Holyoke, CO. Family life did not slow down his job and love for trucking, so he incorporated the family on the road. On numerous occasions, he and Brittany would go on an adventure together. Their biggest adventure was driving across the US. They went from Colorado to Pennsylvania and then went south to Texas to go to Six Flags Dallas. He even helped Brittany and her family move to New York and then back to Atwood when they realized it wasn’t for them.

He lived in Atwood, CO for several years with Brittany, her husband Josh, and his grandkids, Jordan, Caleb, Blake and Chloee who all have stories to tell about Papa Rich. His love of pranks (bringing the snake into the house which wasn’t the first time for this prank), playing cards, games, and taking them to work building fences. He taught them to drive and helped give advice on their sports. They all have fond memories of Papa Rich bringing fireworks for July 4th. (He did start a few “incidental fires”). Anyone that knew Dick knew that he had a story to tell which he shared with the grandkids and everyone he met.

He is survived by his daughter, Brittany Kloberdanz, her husband Joshua and their four children, Jordan, Caleb, Blake and Chloee of Atwood: siblings, Gail Mitchell from Arapahoe, Colorado, Robert Peterson from Windsor, Colorado and Randal Peterson, from North Platte, Nebraska and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Halouska Family Chaney-Reager FH, PO Box 1046, Sterling, Colorado, 80751.