Purdue Crew is saddened by the passing of Crew alumnus Peter S. Kay, who passed away on July 23, 2026, at his home in Cincinnati, where he resided with his wife, Sally.

Pete coached the freshman and lightweight crews from 1962-1964, alongside Head Coach Larry Tolle. Over these two seasons, he coached Purdue to a 20–8 dual-race record. His 1964 lightweight crew lost only one dual race, and his freshman crew reached the Dad Vail final.

Pete’s contributions to Crew extended far beyond his tenure as a coach. As an alumnus, he was instrumental in establishing a permanent, full-time head coaching position. Pete led the campaign to raise funds for the position, and his efforts fundamentally changed the course of the program for the better. As the Purdue Rowing Association’s first fundraising chair, he raised approximately $240,000 for Purdue Crew, and the team would not be what it is today without his work.

Beyond Purdue Crew, Pete had a distinguished career as a rowing official, serving as a National Championship referee, five-time World Championship referee, and two-time Olympic referee. He served on the USRowing Judge-Referee Committee and received the Wolf Referee Award.

Outside of rowing, Pete held numerous Purdue and Cincinnati civic leadership positions. These include roles on the Purdue President’s Council, the John Purdue Club, the Alumni Association Council, and the Science Dean’s Advisory Council.

Purdue Crew thanks Pete for his lifelong contributions to the team and the sport and extends its deepest condolences to his friends and family, especially to his wife, Sally.