Peter Kopke Sr., who spent more than seven decades in the fruit industry and helped build the Chilean grape trade in the U.S., died Aug. 5. He was 89.
Kopke got his start at age 14 at the fruit auctions on Pier 28 in Manhattan, working summers for his father’s company, the Port Washington, New York-based William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. He marked prices, updated records of the year’s business transactions and handled international correspondence. He joined the company full time in 1958 after graduating from Brown University.
In 1964, Kopke made his first trip to Chile on behalf of the company. Two years later, he knew every grape grower in the country and what each had to offer. He would walk the Chilean auction piers at 2 a.m. before other buyers arrived to secure the best fruit.
In 1969, Kopke brought the first Australian Packham pears and Bosc pears into the U.S. He also established the Port of Philadelphia as the company’s main distribution hub and moved William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. into large-scale air freight before it became standard practice in the industry.
Under his leadership, the company grew to become the No. 1 importer of Chilean fruit and a leader in importing produce from Peru, Argentina, South Africa and Mexico. From 2015 to 2026, Kopke led the company through investments in marketing, farming and refrigerated packing and distribution centers.
The Chilean-American Chamber of Commerce recognized Kopke with the Friend of Chile Award in 2011 for more than five decades of building the Chilean grape trade in the U.S. His father, William H. Kopke Jr., received the first Friend of Chile Award in 1998, and his son, Peter Kopke Jr., received the honor in 2024.
Peter Kopke Jr. joined the company in 1996, followed by his brothers William in 2002 and David in 2005, becoming the third generation of the family business. The company reached its fourth generation in 2019, when Luna Kopke joined the operations department. Kopke continued to work every day until his death, staying engaged in the day-to-day business even when illness prevented him from coming to the office.
“Peter will be remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather – steadfast in his care for those closest to him and deeply cherished in return,” the Kopke family said in a statement.
“Throughout his life, he carried himself with a quiet honesty that earned trust and respect, and a hard-working spirit that showed in the constancy with which he met each day and each responsibility. He was a man who made everyone feel welcome. His vivacious spirit encouraged those around him to live, learn and explore, as he did. He lived a life of kindness, empathy, generosity, excellence, hard work and love. He taught without teaching, having a subtle way of making those around him want to be better and feel better.”
A remembrance will be held from 1-8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at Claude R. Boyd-Caratozzolo Funeral Home, 1785 Deer Park Ave., Deer Park, New York.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Kopke’s memory go to organizations supporting kidney or heart health, including Northwell Nephrology (support.northwell.edu) and the American College of Cardiology Foundation (acc.org). Northwell donors can indicate the gift is in memory of Peter Kopke Sr., select “Northwell Health (General)” and add a tribute message with “kidney disease research” to direct the gift.
Founded in 1937, William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. is one of the largest and oldest importers and distributors of fresh fruit in North America. The family-owned company imports fruit from growers across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Australia, with distribution centers on the East and West coasts serving retail, wholesale and foodservice customers.