On Sunday, September 25th, Peter Allen Simer, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 74 after a short battle with cancer. Peter was being comforted by his wife, Cyndy, as well as friends and other family members at his home in Lander, WY.
Peter was born on October 8, 1947 in Minneapolis, MN. He was the sixth of ten children born to Loren Jerome and Gertrude Mary (Baden) Simer. The family moved throughout the Minneapolis area and also lived in Limestone , MT, where Peter rode his horse to a one room school. When he was in the fourth grade, the family moved to Red Lodge, MT for 2 years, and then to Omaha, NE, before returning to Minneapolis. Peter graduated from West High School in 1965. He attended the University of Southern California, graduating in 1969 with a BS degree in Economics. Peter moved to Lander, WY to begin work as an Instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in 1971. Concurrently, he attended Southern Connecticut State College where he earned an MS degree in Special Education. As NOLS faced an intensive period of transition due to mounting financial challenges, Peter was hired as Executive Director in 1975.
On May 27, 1978, he married Cynthia Hicks. They raised two sons, Kurt and Fletcher, and one daughter, Laurel. In May 1983, Peter resigned from NOLS and enrolled in the Stanford Graduate School of Business, graduating with an MBA in 1985. At this time, Peter and family moved to Columbus, IN, where Peter worked for Cummins Engine Company until 1993. After one year in Seattle, working as the CEO of Cascade Cabinets, the family moved to Cedar Falls, IA, where Peter served as the CEO of Engineered Products Company from 1994 until he retired in 2007.
Peter was an avid outdoorsman, maintaining a passion for hunting and fishing with his sons, Kurt and Fletcher, and several friends and siblings throughout his lifetime. Peter also was an accomplished mountaineer, having traveled throughout the world to climb. He was known for his quick wit, his booming voice, his vast knowledge of a wide breadth of subjects, and his passion for friends and family. Peter always loved to cook, and in retirement he maintained a large vegetable garden. He loved entertaining friends and family with a plethora of dishes from cultures around the world.
Peter was preceded in death by his father, Loren, his mother, Gertrude, and five siblings: Lora, Trudi, Stephanie (Peter), Frank (Anne-Sevrine) and Harvey (Cheryl). He is survived by his wife, Cyndy, his children Kurt (Fay) Simer, Fletcher (Elizabeth) Simer, and Laurel Simer, and by his four grandchildren: Edith, Frederick, Greta, and Beatrice. He will be sorely missed by all of them.
Please sign the online guestbook: hudsonsfh.com