Hedman, James Peder Beloved Milwaukee musician, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on December 11, 2017, age 55. A gifted musician and painter, Peder was a man about town and a friend to all. Growing up on the East Side, he was a key part of Milwaukee's music scene beginning in his teenage years. A psychedelic punk rock icon and consummate showman best known for Liquid Pink, Detroit Jewel, and Tweaker, Peder played in scores of Milwaukee bands over the years. As he moved around for fun and adventure in the 1990s, Peder became part of the scenes in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and Austin, Texas, eventually returning home to Milwaukee, where he was adored. Tall and gangly at 6'4", Peder was a jovial counterculture trendsetter who looked cool always, his vintage floral and paisley shirts a distinctive inch short at the wrists, and his hands speckled with paint from creating art, or from his day job as a house painter. He was a thrift store connoisseur who could dig out incredible records and 8-tracks, vintage knickknacks, and forgotten electronics from even the most dubious shop, regularly gifting these treasures to friends. His taste was impeccable. Peder could strike up a conversation with absolutely anybody-from a fellow musician in Milwaukee or Chicago to an elderly man at a roadside antique stand in North Carolina-and bond with them instantly. He had a million hilarious stories to tell, and told them with delight. Peder was never unapproachable, and his curiosity was legendary. He was interested in everyone, supported everyone, and made everyone feel fine. He doted on his beloved cats and dogs, loved to tinker with mechanical things, and found a way to cook a Tombstone Pizza in a toaster oven (you cut it in half first!). He was a gem. A devoted son, brother, husband, father, and friend, Peder will be missed by every single person who ever knew him. He is survived by his wife Tracy, his son Cyril, his parents Carl and Nancy, his brother Gunnar, sister-in-law Cori, nephews Carl and Ian, parents-in-law Ed and Lisa, and his dog, Oskar. A memorial service is set for 3:00 PM Saturday, December 16, Blue Ribbon Hall at Best Place, 901 W. Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Celebration of Life to follow. Memorial gifts to honor Peder may be made to the Cyril G. Hedman Irrevocable Trust.
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Published in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Dec. 15, 2017
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