Peter (Per) John Ristuben, 64, passed away November 12, 2024 after an 11-month battle with stomach cancer. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 28 years, Anna Lee; daughters, Kathryn and Sophia Ristuben; mother, Nina Weissman; sister, Ann Johnson (David); brother, Erik Ristuben (Susie); as well as the countless relatives and friends he touched during his lifetime.

Per was born on March 16, 1960, in Norman, Okla., and he spent his childhood in Puyallup, Wash.; Kaduna, Nigeria; Albany, NY; Staten Island, NY; Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and Buffalo, NY. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Upon graduating, he continued his father’s legacy and headed to a remote part of Liberia as a Peace Corps volunteer where he worked to build a local fisheries program.

When Per returned to the States, he applied to dental school and spent a year working as a phlebotomist with Northwest Bloodworks. He then attended the University of Washington School of Dentistry and graduated in 1989. After dental school, he joined Neighborcare Health community clinic in Seattle where he met his wife, Anna. Per and Anna married in 1997 in Seattle, Wash, and they started their own practice, Snoqualmie Family Dentistry in Snoqualmie Wash.

Per was known as a kind and easy going soul, always willing to help and uplift those in his life. He was a family man first and foremost who loved to spend time with his wife and two daughters. He enjoyed doing yard work and home improvement projects. One of Per’s most notable projects was the pizza oven he built from scratch in the backyard which became the center point and gathering spot for family and friends for many years during summer backyard parties.

A dentist by profession, Per was an artist by heart. His house and yard are filled with decades of his artwork, trademarked by his keen precision and hard work. Everywhere you turn in the family home, you can experience a little bit of Per’s love.

A celebration of life will be held from 1:00-4:00pm, Sunday, March 16 at the Yuan Ru Art Center (12737 Bel-Red Rd #100, Bellevue, WA) where his lifetime of artwork will be displayed. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Fred Hutch Cancer Research in his memory.