Pete (Ralph) Kofoot

Pete (Ralph) Kofoot was born in Rockwell, Iowa, in 1933 to Ernest and Martha Kofoot.  He was the third of eight children. 

Pete was always a very hard worker.  He was farmed out at age 13 to Kenny Warrington of St. Ansgar, Iowa.  He enlisted in the army right out of high school and was stationed in Korea for two years. 

After returning from the service, he met the love of his life, Jolene Hepner, who he was married to for 67 years.  They lived in rural St. Ansgar where he started building churches, schools, and banks.  They moved to Mount Horeb, Wis., for three years, and in 1962, moved to Spring Valley, Minn.  He was a self-employed carpenter until he retired at the age of 80.  He then worked for the State of Minnesota as a custodian at High Forest Rest Stop where he loved to visit with people that stopped.  He retired from there in the summer of 2023.

He was on the Spring Valley Fire Department for 36 years and was assistant fire chief for part of that time.  He has been a member of Spring Valley Sportsman Club since 1965, and lifetime member at the Spring Valley VFW.

His love in life was his family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and fishing with his friends.

He is survived by his wife Jolene, son Eric Kofoot of Willard, Wash., daughter Kristie (Kevin) Koster of St. Ansgar, Iowa; three grandsons: Kalyn (Alyx) Koster of Racine, Minn., Kody (Cari) Koster of Maryville, Mo., and Kray (Erica) Koster of New Hampton, Iowa; and his eight great-grandchildren: Collin, Sophia, Chase, Hudson, Tripp, Boone, Summit and Lyric Koster.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Our Savior’s Lutheran, the Sportsman Club, or charity of choice. 

Committal service will be held Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minn. A gathering will take place at the Spring Valley VFW following the burial, from 12-2 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025.