Peter was born on November 13, 1942, in Brooklyn, NY and died unexpectedly on October 5, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio. He was predeceased by his father, Martin Simon Kochman, his mother Constance Kochman (nee Klee), and his brother Richard Kochman. Peter is survived by his former wife, Anne Paterson Kochman, and a brother, Lee Kochman.

His childhood education in Indianapolis, Indiana, included Orchard School, PS 86, 43, 60, and finally P.S. 70, graduating from 8th grade in 1956. He graduated from Shortridge High School, Class of 1960.

Peter's academic education began at Wabash College, Indiana, where he majored in political science and minored in history, was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1964. Other activities included basketball and Little United Nations participation.

He was attracted to The Victoria University of Manchester, England, by William Mackenzie, the Government Department chairman, and studied there under political scientist Richard Rose and distinguished philosopher Dorothy Emmet, obtaining his Master of Arts in 1967. HIs thesis research was on the Liberal Party. Other activities included the university basketball team and student debating society, where he was guest speakers secretary.

Peter followed Prof. Rose to Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland, taught political science as a faculty member (1968-9) and, returning to the U.S., taught political science on the faculty of Denison University in Granville, Ohio (1969-71). He specialized in political theory, international relations, and foreign policy.

His service with the State of Ohio began in 1973 with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, followed by the Ohio Department of Energy; the Ohio Department of Development, Energy Division chief and Governor's Science and Technology Advisor and first executive director of the Ohio Council of Science and Technology; and recently the Ohio Department of Insurance until his death.

Peter's passion was politics. For decades, he worked with the Republican Party as a strategist, planning campaigns for candidates for the U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, the Ohio Legislature, and gubernatorial campaigns. His applied political analysis included studying voting trends, newspaper editorials, and various other public opinion statistics; and writing policy position papers for candidates and the party. He was not just an academic observer of politics. He put his time, energy, and financial support into working to improve life for the people of Ohio and the U.S.

Peter will be missed by many friends in the U.S. and Britain. Not long before he died, he said he wanted his epitaph to be "He had no illusions."