Pieter Curtiss Kossen

Pete was born on September 21, 1951, in Springfield, MO, to Charles Edwin and Marie (Poore) Kossen. He was named after his grandfather, Pieter Cornelius Kossen but was known by many from his young years as Kurt but as Pete in his railroad and Tennessee life.

At age 18, Pete began his machinist apprenticeship with the Santa Fe Railroad in Kansas City. He later returned to Springfield to complete his apprenticeship, ultimately dedicating nearly four decades of his life to his career with the Santa Fe, BNSF, and CN railroads. A talented machinist and respected General Foreman, Pete was known for his remarkable physical strength, determination to figure anything out, and his legendary skill with a sledgehammer. He truly loved the railroad and the life and opportunities it provided for him and his family. He was a friend, mentor, and leader to all who worked alongside him.

Pete was proud to be a member of the International Association of Machinists and took his work seriously. Even after transitioning into management, he struggled to let go of “doing the work” himself—you could always find him teaching and demonstrating the right way to do things. Long before the term existed, Pete embodied servant leadership and always found a way to take care of his employees.

Outside of work, Pete was a devoted car enthusiast. His free time was spent drag racing, restoring old or wrecked cars, or building trailers. He loved sharing his skills and passion with others, especially his children and grandchildren. One of his proudest moments was being inducted into the Southwest Missouri Drag Racers Hall of Fame in 2021. He never stopped asking to take his Nova down the drag strip one more time.

Above all, Pete was a family man. He was a loving husband to Ruth Ann Kossen, his wife of 50 years, and a proud father to their three children and six grandsons—who were the joy of his life. However, there were many times that his love of food came before all else. We hope he had a “snack” waiting for him in heaven along with unlimited fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans-maybe a pork tenderloin or two as well.

Pete is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann; his daughter, Amy Smith (Chris); his sons, Matthew Kossen (Allison) and Joseph Kossen (Jennifer); his six grandsons, Hunter (Abbi), Landon, Wesley, Sawyer, Case, and Henry; and his recently born great-grandson, Tucker. He is also survived by his twin sister, Kathryn Holden (Jim); his sister, Barbara Welsh; his sister-in-law, Judy Kossen; and many special nieces and nephews he loved dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Marie Kossen; his brother, Charles “Ronnie” Kossen; his sisters, Sharon Roberts and Carolyn Kossen; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank all of the doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, and CNAs who cared for Pete over the last 10+ years. It has been a long journey. A special thank-you to the team at Methodist Hospice Residence for the exceptional care over his last week—you will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Visitation will begin Monday December 15 at 10:00 a.m., with the service following at Noon, both at Collierville Funeral Home, 3863 Bailey Station Rd., Collierville, TN. Burial will follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Collierville.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Wyatt’s Rides that is very dear to our family, the Alzheimer’s Association, Methodist Hospice Residence, or a charity of your choice.