Kenneth Peter

Peter, Kenneth R.Madison - Kenneth R. "Ken" Peter, age 83, died on Friday Aug. 28, 2009, at Karmenta Nursing Home. Ken was born on Nov. 27, 1925, to Otto Peter and Ione Ida Dorabelle Klug, at his maternal grandparents' home in Milwaukee. His parents had gone there for Thanksgiving Day. While there the group went out to pick apples which was more than he and his mother could take. He graduated from Kenosha's Mary D. Bradford High School and continued his education with Gateway Technical College, College Of Life Underwriters, Madison Area Technical College and UW. He served in the Army of the United States during World War II. Ken and Violet Schultz of Somers were married on April 11, 1947, at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenosha. Ken worked at the Simmons Company for 12 years until, after 90 years Simmons abandoned Kenosha. He was a Metropolitan Life and Health insurance agent for five years. He was the managing abstractor and title insurance underwriter for Citizens Abstract Company of Kenosha and Racine counties for six years and worked with Title Underwriters of Milwaukee and Waukesha during this time. Ken and his family left Kenosha for Madison in 1966 where he became associated with the State Teachers Retirement System. He contributed to the final statutory and physical merger of the STRS with the Wisconsin Retirement Fund and other statutory retirement systems and benefit programs to form the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds. He retired in 1988 as an administrative officer. Ken had been active with Theater Bus Inc. as a participant, volunteer, treasurer and board member. He was a member of Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Cross since 1967. Two daughters survive him, Julia I. Pin of Bothell, Wash., and Michele L. McDermott of Birmingham, Mich. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Christopher P. St. Clair of Everett, Wash., Nathaniel J. St. Clair (Beryl) of Everett, Wash., Valerie K. McDermott of Shreveport, La., John R.R. McDermott and Andrew P. McDermott of Birmingham, Mich. Further surviving are brothers, Lloyd O. (Anne) of Greendale, and Arthur F. (Beverly) of Kenosha; sisters-in-law, Alfreda Kober and Virginia of Kenosha, and Vaneda of Beverly Hills, Fla.; cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and Ken had a host of friends. His parents, Otto and Ione; wife, Violet; daughter, Cheri A. Quinonez; and brothers, Ellsworth E., Roger A. and Forrest Lee preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held at FRIEDENS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5038 19th Ave., Kenosha, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, with the Rev. Bernt Tweit presiding. Burial will be at Sunset Ridge Cemetery. Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009.In lieu of flowers a donation to St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary would be appreciated. Gunderson EastFuneral & Cremation Centers5203 Monona Drive(608) 221-5420www.gundersonfh.com Memorials: In lieu of flowers a donation to St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary would be appreciated. Cemetery: Burial will be at Sunset Ridge Cemetery. Visitation: Visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. Service: Funeral services will be held at FRIEDENS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5038 19th Ave., Kenosha, at 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, with the Rev. Bernt Tweit presiding.