Richard Rudolph Pedranti

Richard Rudolph Pedranti was born January 13, 1932, in McMinnville, Oregon.  He was the first child of Adah and Rudolph Pedranti and his brother James was born 8 years later.  He grew up ten miles away in a small town, Newberg, Oregon, where he attended grammar school in two-room schoolhouse. The town had the distinction of having 32 churches in such a small community. 

As a farm boy, he loved working in the fields.  Richard’s parents supported his desire to own animals by purchasing a 32-acre farm.  He milked cows in the morning before school and cared for his livestock.  He raised a pig named Petunia which won the grand champion award when he was 15 years of age.  He showed pigs, sheep, and cows at many county, state, and national fairs.  He loved farm life as a boy. 

In high school, Richard played football - he claimed he walked home two miles at dusk from practice every day!  Being a rugged boy, he played linebacker and often broke his nose, as those were the days before protective helmets. He was one tough kid.

Richard also belonged to the Future Farmers of America.  He traveled through the state of Oregon with the Parliamentary Procedures team and won the FFA state public speaking contest in 1948. 

At 17 years of age he enrolled at Oregon State College (now University) and became Freshman Class President within five days after arriving on campus.  Richard worked his way through college, mostly by washing dishes at his fraternity house.  He became President of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and enjoyed fraternity life tremendously. 

Richard was a member of Air Force ROTC, became Cadet Colonel in his senior year, and graduated top of his class. He was also a member of the Oregon State Debate team and traveled throughout the US as part of the team, becoming Chairman of the Parliamentary Procedures Team. He was a member of five honorary societies: Agricultural, Speech, Blue Key Men’s Senior Service and two Military. In 1953 he graduated with a degree in Food Technology.