Richard Peter Van Gytenbeek ’55

Pete was born Feb. 5, 1933, in Paterson, N.J., to Carrie and Rodolph Van Gytenbeek. He died Feb. 11, 2019. Pete is survived by wife Elizabeth; children Richard, Tony, and Kate; and three grandchildren.

Pete was a three-sport athlete at Ridgewood (N.J.) High School and played baseball and football at Princeton, where he was a member of Cap and Gown.

Beginning a lifelong partnership of 64 years, he married Elizabeth June 18, 1955. Newly commissioned as a second lieutenant, Pete served as an infantry officer until retiring as a captain in the Army Reserves.

After completing active duty, Pete and Elizabeth lived and worked in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, where they could raise their family and take full advantage of trout streams, duck blinds, bird habitat, and ski slopes.

A master of many fields of work, Pete was a Renaissance man — charming, witty, well educated, well mannered, athletic, and self-controlled. He was an author, publisher, and successful businessman. His true passion, though, was working on behalf of the environment as a well-respected conservationist.

Most importantly, Pete was a good man, a man’s man. The enormity and strength of his physical being was matched only by the grace of his character as a husband and father. He has left this world better than he found it. His memory lives in ours. Pete never met a stranger. His cup was always half full. He found the goodness in everyone. To a fault, he had unwavering faith in his fellow man. Anything was possible and everything was attainable.