Peter Frederick Wahl died at age 78 at the Villages Hospice House on Sept. 28, 2023 with his wife and daughter by his side.
Born April 9, 1945, in New Ulm, MN, to Francis P. Wahl and Viola (Nelson) Wahl, Pete grew up in Renville, MN, with his parents and four sisters.
At the age of 12, Pete started working behind the counter at the Wahl Implement Company, the family’s Allis Chalmers dealership. “I watched my Dad and the relationships he built, and that’s when I really came to understand what the meaning of customer service was, and I’ve focused on that my entire career,” he would later tell friends.
A graduate of Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, WI, he attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, but upon leaving school was drafted into to U.S. Army. After his return, he graduated from Winona State University and went on to earn a Master’s in Social Work degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Two years later, he moved to Cocoa Beach, FL, to start a job as a social worker and later became the county’s Director of Social Services.
He met Nancy (Hodell) at the home of mutual friends in 1976, and they were married a year later. Daughter Molly was born the following year.
Always a servant leader, Pete relished his career in local government administration, first as Chief Assistant Administrator for Brevard County, then Lake County Manager, and finally as the first District Manager for the Villages Community Development Districts.
He was known by so many for his wry sense of humor and no-nonsense approach to life. No one loved Christmas like Pete, who would don his own Santa Claus suit each year for special visits with family and friends. In his final years, Pete loved following the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida State Football and playing chess with grandson Benjamin.
He was a longstanding Rotarian and founded the Villages Rotary’s annual Chili Cook-off. He also volunteered with the Lake Sumter Children’s Advocacy Center, served as Bids for Kids auctioneer, sat on the board for The Villages Charter School, and was a Take Stock in Children mentor. He was appointed to the Lake Sumter State College Board of Trustees 2014 and served until his death.
Pete is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nancy; his daughter Molly (Keith) Davidson of Jacksonville, FL, and grandchildren Benjamin and Hannah; sisters Gretchen (David) Schrupp of Shawnee, OK; Anne (Gene) Kozleski, of Parker, CO; Cathie (Tom) Carlson of Ellicott City, MD; and Ellen Wahl of Minneapolis, MN; as well as sister-in-law Sally Gordon, Kentwood, MI; and 14 nieces and nephews and their families. He is predeceased by his parents, Francis Peter Wahl and Viola Mae (Nelson) Wahl, and sister-in-law Joni Howkins.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at St. George Episcopal Church in The Villages.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions made in Pete’s memory to the Lake-Sumter State College Foundation for a scholarship being established in his name. Gifts may be made online at https://www.lssc.edu/dept/foundation or may be mailed to Lake-Sumter State College Foundation, 9501 U.S. Hwy. 441, Leesburg, Florida 34788.