The following obituary was published by the Elkhart Truth.
April 30, 1944 – Nov. 18, 2024
Peter John Liegl, 80, of Petoskey, Michigan, passed away on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, surrounded by his immediate family.
While “Pete” may be known in Elkhart for his legendary role in building the RV industry, he came from humble beginnings. He was born on April 30, 1944, in Petoskey, Michigan, to Fredrick and Kathryn Liegl and was one of six children (Mary, Joe, Donna, Jean, and John). During his early childhood, Pete was diagnosed spinal meningitis and where he was given his last rites. Against all odds, Pete survived and started learning the value of hard work by selling eggs at the age of 6. Pete graduated from St. Francis High School and received a BS (Accounting) at Northern Michigan University, and MBA (Finance) at Western Michigan University.
Pete met Sharon Chamberlin in 1964. They were married June 29, 1968, in Petoskey, Michigan. Together they had a daughter, Lisa (Liegl) Rees in 1981.
Pete started his career in finance at Clark Equipment. Pete loved competition and wanted to try sales. He started as a sales coordinator at Coachmen and moved to Pennsylvania to become Sales Manager and then promoted to General Manager. He moved back to Elkhart (1982) as President Midas Motorhomes and President of Shasta a Coachmen-owned company, before deciding to venture out with two partners to purchase Cobra Industries. Cobra Industries went public, and Pete was fired. Ultimately, Cobra went bankrupt, and he purchased the assets. The first Forest River unit was born in a barn and debuted at Louisville under a lamppost 13 because they could not get show space. The first units were manufactured in The Old Bag Factory in Goshen (with cardboard desks and birds flying overhead).
In 1996, Pete envisioned of forming a company “where the forest meets the river.” Pete is best known in the community of Elkhart as the founder of Forest River Inc., and the man who in 2005 sold Forest River to famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
After selling to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Pete stayed on as CEO as he loved that he could “keep doing what he had been doing” and work “half” days (7a.m. to 7 p.m.) and weekends to continue to grow the company. He believed in the company’s mission and loved his Forest River family as his own.
Pete leaves behind not only his wife and daughter but his son-in-law, Logan Rees, and two grandchildren, Adrienne L. Liegl Rees (6) and Ryan W. Liegl Rees (3). In addition to leaving his loved ones behind, he has passed on a family business called Y Recreation and Therapy as well as the Liegl Family Foundation. The immediate family will be further developing the Y Recreation and Therapy to create healing for people to “return to nature” and seek refuge in times of need and recovery. The Liegl Family Foundation will serve as a way to give back to the community which helped him fulfill his dreams. Pete invites you to meet him “where the forest meets the river” you will always find him there.
A private mass will be held for family and close friends on Dec. 14, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Bristol, Indiana. A Celebration of Life will follow from 2 to 6 p.m. at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana. Family, friends and community are welcome to join the Liegl family at the RV/MH Hall of Fame to celebrate Pete’s life.