Klaus Peter Widmann

Peter Widmann, beloved husband, father and Opa, died peacefully, yet unexpectedly, on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at the age of 71 in his Ithaca home. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Joke; his two daughters, Marieke (UK) and Martina (WA); their husbands, Andrew and Michael; granddaughter, Ella; and two soon-to-be-born grandchildren.

Born in 1943 in Stuttgart, Germany, Peter moved to the United States in his twenties to pursue a career in international business. In Ohio, he met his love, Joke, a Dutch teacher, and started a family. His professional roles took him all over the world, including China shortly after it opened its borders and Japan for which he had a lasting affinity. Peter also made a point of traveling the world with his family, introducing them to foreign cultures. Ever the optimist, he was devoted to a happy family life and particularly enabling opportunities for his two daughters.

For more than 30 years, Peter worked for Emerson Electric, developing the international operations of its subsidiaries. In 1988, Peter moved his family to Ithaca, where he served as VP International for Emerson Power Transmission until his retirement in 2008. Never without Joke, Peter spent his remaining years admiring his daughters' achievements, visiting family abroad, and watching the waves break on the beach beside their Sodus Point cottage. Peter will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Following Peter's wishes, a private service for the family will be held this summer in Sodus Point, NY. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Peter's name to the American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org).