Peter Buckley Whitten of Hyattsville, Maryland, died April 30 during efforts to recover from an extended hospital stay due to complications of bladder cancer. He was 82.

He is survived by his son, Ted Whitten, his granddaughter, Esme Whitten, and his daughter-in-law, Sonya Hals, of Hamden, Connecticut; his sister Deborah Whitten of Battle Creek, Michigan; his brother and sister-in-law Thomas and Ronna Whitten of Englewood Colorado; his sister Martha "Molly" Whitten Siefert of Pasadena, California; six nieces and nephews; and many close friends in Hyattsville and beyond.

Peter was born on March 29, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Mildred and Thomas Whitten. He was a dedicated athlete and student. After graduating from Wilkinsburg High School, he attended Penn State, where he played soccer and received a degree in American history. He went on to do graduate work at Temple University and George Washington University.

After starting a career in teaching, Peter moved into editing and publishing, eventually becoming Director of Publishing at the International Law Institute in Washington, DC. He continued to work as a freelance editor into his 80s.

Peter loved opera and spent many years acting in productions at the Washington Opera, often working closely with stars like Placido Domingo. He loved being physically active, and he took up modern dance in middle age. He was a lifelong polymath, always reading and learning about history, art, and music. He was an avid fan of Penn State wrestling, Maryland soccer, and the Pirates, Orioles, and Nationals. He also loved cats, and strays always seemed to know that they could find shelter and a meal at his house. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.