J. Peder Kvamme

Northview - North Mankato Mortuary
2060 Commerce Drive
North Mankato, MN  56003
(507) 388-2202

John Peder Kvamme, age 97, of North Mankato, died Thursday, May 5, 2016, at Pathstone Living in Mankato.

Funeral Service will be 12:00 p.m., Saturday, May 7, 2016, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Rev. Jay Dahlvang officiating.  Visitation will be two hours prior to the service at the church.  Memorials are preferred to the Twin Valley Boy Scouts of America or the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Endowment Fund.  Northview – North Mankato Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Peder was born July 1, 1918, in Scanlon to John C. and Nellie (Larson) Kvamme.  During the summer as a youth, he attended a citizen’s military training camp at Ft. Snelling.  After graduating from Cloquet High School, Peder joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was stationed at a camp on the Gunflint Trail.  He obtained his accounting degree from the University of Minnesota.  Peder married Vera Joyce Fox of Le Center at Riverside Church in New York City on July 28, 1943.  During WWII, he served three years as a naval officer in the South Pacific.

After the war, Peder worked for the U of MN for three years before leaving to start a furniture manufacturing company in southern Wisconsin.  In 1951, he joined Kato Engineering in Mankato as their finance officer and retired as president.  After a short retirement, Peder purchased Enterprise Machining Company, Minnesota Electric Technology Inc., and started KaWinn Corporation.  These entities are now managed by his sons.

In 1954, Peder and Vera built just the fifth home in all of upper North Mankato where they raised their four children:  John, David, Karene, and JoNell.  Peder was very active in his church and the community.  He taught Sunday school for ten years, was president of the congregation, and served on numerous committees for many years at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato.  He was a scoutmaster for ten years, served on the Board of Directors of the Twin Valley Council, and was awarded the Silver Beaver by the Boy Scouts of America.  For nine years, he was a member of the School Board of District 77.  During this time, Peder was instrumental in the building of Hoover Elementary School, East High School, and South Central College.  He was very interested in education and served on various educational commissions at the state level.  He served on the Board of Directors of Immanuel – St. Joseph’s Hospital, Bank of Commerce, the Mankato Golf Club, and also was a board chairman of the Mankato United Way.  Peder enjoyed golfing, card playing, and fishing.  He and Vera loved to travel and visited many countries throughout the world, several times traveling with the Friendship Force organization.

Peder is survived by his four children, John P. (Marit) Kvamme of St. Peter, David G. (Maria) Kvamme of North Mankato, Karene A. (Gene) Heupel of Maple Grove, and JoNell R. Kvamme of Seville, Spain; twelve grandchildren, Kristine (Dan), Greta (Tim) and Johan Peder (Lindsay) Kvamme; Stephanie (Andy), Monica, and Gabriela Kvamme; Paul (Christa), Mark, and Benjamin (Kathleen) Heupel; Jaime, Mercedes (Steve), and Elena Esteban-Kvamme; four great-grandchildren, Vera, Liam, Emma, and Madeleine.

Peder was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Vera in 2007; his parents; a sister, Audrey (Orville) Enerson; and a brother, Jule (Nona) Kvamme.