Peter Riccelli

Peter L. Riccelli, 88, died August 29, 2009 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at Hamilton's Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th, with burial at Glendale Cemetery. Visitation will be held 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Peter was born April 3, 1921 to Italian immigrants, Louis and Maria Rosa Riccelli from Calabria, Italy. He was raised on the south side of Des Moines where he graduated from St. Anthony's Catholic School in 1936 and attended Lincoln High School. In 1948, he married Jennie Loffredo and had three children, Becky, Sandy, and Peter Jr. In 1964, he married Lillian Larpenter and had two sons, Terry and Frank along with two step-sons, Rod and Rick Larpenter.
Peter opened his first restaurant in 1949, The Orchard Inn, located on Fleur Drive and opened Tally's Restaurant in 1953, located at SE 14th and Park Avenue. He opened the first Riccelli's Restaurant in 1964 at 3803 Indianola Road and it is still open 45 years later. In the course of his life, Peter opened three additional Riccelli’s, Riccelli’s West, Riccelli’s Fleur, and Riccelli's Mainliner, one the Des Moines' first dinner nightclubs.
Peter owned and managed two mobile home facilities, Paradise Park and Andrew Mobile Home Park. He owned and rented numerous properties in the Des Moines area. He worked hard with these properties, but restaurants were his passion. He kept books and continued weekly stock orders for Riccelli's Restaurant until the last days of his life.
Peter attended the horse races and in the 1970's, he owned his own race horse that raced at Aksarben in Omaha, NE. He enjoyed his weekly lunch and conversation with his friends, Sam Riccelli, Louis Lavorato, Pete Acri, and Dan Scavo; affectionately called the "Grumpy Old Men Club" by Lillian.
Peter is survived by his wife of 45 years, Lillian; children, Becky (Jim) Canterbury of Norwalk, Sandy Eaton of Norwalk, Terry (KumCha) Riccelli of Des Moines, Frank Riccelli of Des Moines, and Rick (Glori) Larpenter of Ames; 14 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; siblings, Sam (Annie) Riccelli of Des Moines and Carmen Miller of Florida; and many other family and beloved friends.
He was preceded in death by parents; first wife, Jennie Lafferty; children, Peter Riccelli Jr. and Rod Larpenter; grandson, Charlie Riccelli; and siblings, Catherine Lavorato, Jenny Sciagliano, Mary Leo, Artilla Siders, and Tony Riccelli.
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