Peter Howard Van Ness

LODI-Captain Peter Howard Van Ness, USN, Ret. died peacefully on February 23rd in Lodi, Wisconsin at the age of 69 of pancreatic cancer. Peter is survived by wife Brenda Van Ness, sons Kurt (Charlene) and Chad (Amy) Van Ness, step-sons Gregory (Annie) Feeney and Andrew Feeney, sisters Patricia (Andrew) , Elizabeth (Gary), and Adele, nine grandchildren, a niece, Uncle Raymond Mollen and many cousins. Peter was born on the 10th of October, 1945 in Madison, Wisconsin to Howard Lincoln Van Ness and Marie Claire (Mollen) Van Ness. After graduating from Lodi High School in 1963, he enrolled at St. Norbert College, West De Pere, WI. He also enlisted in the US Naval Reserve as a Cryptologic Technician in August 1965. Peter graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1969 with a degree in Political Science. Shortly after graduation, he was ordered to active duty for two years at the 5th Air Force HQ, Pacific Command Electronic Intelligence Center, Fuchu Air Station, Japan. After returning to the US he worked for the State of Wisconsin and the US Naval Reserve concurrently. Within the US Naval Reserve he covered many assignments requiring periods of active duty. These assignments included Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Northwest Virginia, NSGA Hanza, Okinawa, Japan, NSGA Kami Seya, Japan, Naval Security Group Detachment, Mayport, Florida and Naval Reserve Cryptologic District, East Coast. He was also appointed commanding officer of Naval Reserve Security Group (NRSG) Minneapolis, MN, and NRSG Fort Worth, TX, and executive officer NRSG in Madison, WI. After 9/11, he was recalled to active duty in Washington D.C. at the National Infrastructure Protection Center, FBI Headquarters for two years. He was subsequently ordered to the newly formed Intelligence Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate of the new Department of Homeland Security. His final year of active duty before retiring was spent as an Administrative Law Judge for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). After retiring, he and his beloved Brenda moved back to his hometown of Lodi where they married in 2008. Before fully retiring, he spent four years as Chairman of the Board of H.P. White Laboratory, Inc., a ballistics resistance and personal protective equipment testing laboratory in Street, MD. Peter’s version of retirement also meant giving back to the community by serving two years on the Lodi City Council and seven years on the Lodi Utility Commission. With the assistance of the Friends of Scenic Lodi Valley, he and Brenda formed the Aldo Leopold Community Garden. He was a member and past president of the Lodi Optimist Club, supported the Aldo Leopold Chapter of Trout Unlimited through monitoring Spring Creek and was a member of Lodi’s American Legion Post 216, acting as emcee for the 2014 Lodi Memorial Day events. A viewing is scheduled from 12PM to 2PM on Saturday February 28th at the Lodi United Methodist Church, 130 Locust St., Lodi. The funeral is scheduled immediately after the viewing at 2PM with a reception to follow at the church hall. Interment will be at the Garden Bluff Cemetery. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Peter’s life. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Columbia County Pink Ribbon Angels, Inc. at 1020 Prospect Ave., Unit #3, Portage, WI 53901. Condolences can be sent to Van Ness Family 521 Seminary Street, Lodi, WI. The family would like to thank the staffs at Dean Clinic Oncology Lab, Dean Clinic West, St. Mary’s Hospital, and the Agrace Hospice Center for their extraordinary care. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com Hamre Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care 157 S. Main Street, Lodi 608-592-3201