Peter John Riker, 74, of Marietta, died on Thursday, October 1  ^st  of pulmonary fibrosis, an irreversible lung condition.  He was born in North Bergen, NJ to Harold P. Riker and Viola Erskine of Dutch and Scottish ancestry.  He lived in Oradell, NJ most of his adolescent life.  He attended Western Maryland College (renamed McDaniel) where he majored in economics and was also, an ROTC student and member of the rifle team.  Upon graduation he completed Ordnance MOS training at Aberdeen Proving Ground and served with the 25  ^th  Infantry Division in Cu Chi, Vietnam.  He was later assigned back to the APG Ordnance School. 

 He also, worked as a risk management specialist and analyst in many areas of insurance.  Royal Globe, Hartford Steam Boiler, Penn National and Cigna are some of the carriers he represented.  He additionally spent twenty plus years working for the State of Georgia's Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in Atlanta. 

 He was an avid Ham Radio operator for over sixty years and a longtime member of the Kennechoochee and North Fulton radio clubs.  Morse coding was one of his particular interests. 

 He was a well trained percussionist who played in All State Orchestra in high school, as well as, the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra in NC, and the North Fulton and Northbrook Methodist Church Orchestras locally. 

 He is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Irene Mifkovic; two daughters, Christa Ann Riker-Sheets and Tiffany Kylene Schroeder; sons-in-law, David Sheets and Frank Schroeder; three grandchildren, Katelyn Riker Sheets, and Lillian Cate and Jack Nolan Schroeder; cousins, Nancy, David and Christopher Moore; and cousins, Nancy, Terry, Amy, Ellen, and Scott Anderson. 

 Visitation will be Sunday, October 4  ^th  from 4-6pm at the Marietta Funeral Home 915 Piedmont Rd., Marietta, GA  30066.  Burial will be at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton on Monday October 5  ^th  for family only.  Donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at  https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/ways-to-give/donate  or Service Dogs for Veterans at  https://neads.org  

 Online condolences may be expressed at  www.mariettafuneralhome.org