Col. Richard A. Peshkin, USAF, Ret., 88, of Florence, passed away on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, after complications from prostate cancer.
He was born in Brooklyn, NY, to the late Morris and Mollie Peshkin. He grew up in Great Neck, NY, and attended Cornell University and Stanford University. He had a distinguished military career, retiring after 30 years of service. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and Purple Heart. He was first and foremost an aviator, but he was also particularly proud of his involvement with planning the Son Tay Raid and with Operation Ranch Hand during the Vietnam War. After retiring from the Air Force, he worked for Lockheed Martin and then as a defense contractor consultant for many years, retiring from this second career only in his 80s. He was a member of the Temple B’nai Israel in Florence, where he led a weekly interfaith Torah study group.
He was a devoted husband, a doting and patient father, and a friend, mentor, and advisor to many. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jacqueline Grady Peshkin, and his brother, S. Daniel Peshkin. He is survived by his daughter, Catherine Peshkin; and by his sister-in-law, Joy Kony Peshkin; nieces and nephews, Wendy and Stan Forkner, John and Donna Peshkin, Sophie and Jack Knott, Bob Bowers, Madge Whistler and Grady Bowers; and cousins, Ken Powell and Sally Cox, Tish, Rich and Heath Williams, Joan Kaplon, Daniel Kaplon, Julie Katz, Laura Berland, Richard Kaplon, David Kaplon, Jon Kaplon, Daniel Bernstein, Steven Bernstein, Brant Bernstein, Bobbi Rood and Toniann Salit; great-nieces and nephews, Brad Forkner, Dana Forkner, Samantha Peshkin Hays, Daniel Peshkin, Christy Whistler and Josh Jones; and extended family, Stanley and Karen Goldstein, the Murray family, Veerle Opgenhaffen, Bieke Opgenhaffen, David and Janet Peshkin, Anne Sabo and James Kumpf.
The family is grateful to Dr. Lyman Mitchell, Visiting Angels, Shoals Home Health, and the North Alabama Medical Center nursing and respiratory therapy staff who cared for him.
Col. Peshkin will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery later this fall, and a memorial service will be held at the Temple B’nai Israel on August 24, 2019. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Temple B’nai Israel.
