Peter B. Ochsner

Peter B. Ochsner died on January 23, 2025, at the age of 87 at his home in Fort Myers, Florida. He was born December 29, 1937, in Wabasha, Minnesota, to Dr. Clarence and Anita (Bouquet) Ochsner. He graduated from St. Felix Catholic School and attended St. John’s University in St. Joseph, Minnesota. He enlisted in the US Army and served on the Czech border patrol from 1956 – 1958. He married Carolyn Backdahl on June 24, 1961. He worked in the commercial division at Dayton’s selling office furniture and later joined the Tapemark Company in St. Paul selling medical products. During this time, he served the community of Burnsville as chairman of the planning commission (1970), then elected to the city council and then mayor from 1976-1979. Peter considered himself a true entrepreneur. In 1978, he founded Uni-Patch, a medical supplier of tapes and accessories for nerve and muscle stimulation, in the basement of his Burnsville home. In 1980, he moved the business and family to his home town of Wabasha. He established his business in the lower level of his Mississippi River waterfront home where he could sit in his office and watch to see if the ducks were flying. As the business grew, he relocated to a downtown storefront and then, in 1987, expanded the business in a newly constructed 8,000 square foot building on a 14-acre piece of property on the northern edge of Wabasha. But his entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there. He wanted Wabasha to prosper and to provide opportunities, jobs, and housing for people in the area. He envisioned and developed vacant waterfront land adjacent to his home, creating Peter B. Ochsner eight townhomes and six river front lots, in what became known locally as the Ochsner Division. Peter and Carolyn had a love for Lutsen on the North Shore and purchased a cabin and hunting property there. He enjoyed making deer stands with his grandsons and trails for X-country skiing for family and friends. In 1993, he sold Uni-Patch to Ludlow, a division of Tyco International. He and Carolyn decided to spend the winters in Captiva Island, Florida and the summers split between Wabasha and the cabin on Lake Superior. He and Carolyn loved sharing time with family and friends, hosting gatherings at their various homes and on their boat, appropriately named “Sweet Caroline”. He was an avid golfer, card player and duck hunter. He and Carolyn moved to the welcoming Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers in 2021, where Peter, who was always up for a good conversation, made many friends. He was a man of faith and thanked God every day for giving him 87 years of life and 63 years of marriage to the love of his life. Peter belonged to Duck’s Unlimited, Sanctuary Golf Club, Captiva Island Golf Club and Useppa Island Club. He is survived by son Steve (Donna) Ochsner, daughter Sue (Brian) Wolfe and son-in-law Tim Kretschmer; five Grandchildren Christopher (Alicia) Wolfe, Andrew (Shelby) Wolfe, Jenny (John) Terseck, Charlie (Emma) Kretschmer and Stephanie Ochsner; six great-grandchildren Olivia, Eloise, Harper, Cal, Nora and Peter. He is also survived by brothers Dr. John (Carol), William (Mary), Clarence George “CG”, Dr. Fredrick (Deborah), and Paul (Colleen); sisters Mary (Larry) Haeg, Carolyn (Dr. Tim) Hogan, and sisters-in-law Kay Ochsner and Mary Ochsner. He was preceded in death by his parents Dr. Clarence and Anita Ochsner, daughter Nancee Kretschmer, brothers Dr. Tom Ochsner and David Ochsner, and sister-in-law Mary MacLean Ochsner. Funeral Mass will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 24, 2025, at St. Felix Catholic Church, Wabasha with Rev Tom Loomis officiating. Interment will be at St. Felix Cemetery, Wabasha with military honors provided by Burkhardt Roemer VFW Post 4086 and Wabasha American Legion Post 50. Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April, 24 at the church. The family has requested memorials to St. Elizabeth’s Community Development Foundation and designated for the Rehab and Wellness Center expansion or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Services entrusted to Abbott Funeral Home & Crematory, Wabasha, MN. Words of sympathy or remembrance may be left at www.abbottfh.com