Sep 7, 1930 - Dec 25, 2020

On Christmas day, noted educator and scientist Professor Peter Xavier Armendarez, PhD (90), died surrounded by his children. 

A transplant from Southern California, he and his wife, the late Charlene Towery Armendarez of Calhoun lived in Owensboro Kentucky for over 50 years where they raised 8 children and were members of St. Stephen Cathedral.

Peter was born on Sept 7, 1930 in San Pedro, California to Carmen and Pedro Armendarez. One of 16 children, Peter and his family worked in the fields, picking whatever was in season. When he was a teenager, he disobeyed his father and left the fields before the final harvest so that he could go to school. He pursued his education and his father and mother were very proud of him as he became the first in his family to graduate college. 

A dedication to education was one of the main themes of his life as was a dedication to God and his family. His brilliance was recognized by his teachers and he earned a scholarship to Loyola-Marymount of LA. After college he joined the Air Force as a nuclear scientist and was an observer of nuclear tests in New Mexico at the dawn of the atomic age. The Air Force sent him to graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. It was in St. Louis that he met the great love of his life, Charlene Towery. Charlene was in nursing school and they met at a church dance. In his diary he writes," Oh, I have met an angel and her name is Charlene". He convinced her that her previous idea of becoming a Passionist nun was not for her and they married in 1954. They loved to sing and dance together. Their marriage lasted until her death in 2000. They moved all over America as he pursued his education, earning a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Arizona. In 1965 he found a job close to his wife's family. He would teach at Brescia University for over 30 years. He brought in many grants and helped build the science department. He was a gifted lecturer and his children could recite parts of them, down to the intonation of his delivery. He was also an active supporter of civil rights marching with MLK in Chicago and along with Charlene, an advocate for the right to life.

It was usual to see him reclining in bed reading about inorganic chemistry or quantum physics for fun. During sabbaticals from Brescia he worked for the Navy and the Air Force and created a new method for burning aluminum which had many military applications. When he pulled his last tour of science duty, he achieved the rank of Major. His biggest regret was that he did not win a Nobel Prize. A huge dream for a boy from the Barrio. 

After he retired from Brescia in the mid- 90s, he taught at Owensboro Catholic High and McLean County High. When his dementia started to appear in the mid-2000s, he was persuaded to retire from teaching, a vocation he had pursued for almost 50 years. He loved teaching and science. He often bemoaned a world where there was a daily sports page but not a daily science page in the newspaper. He did grace the front page of the Messenger-Inquirer with the provocative title, "Learning to Build the Bomb". 
Peter was a master Latin guitarist, often playing the corridos of his childhood such as Cielito Lindo and a la Capotín. He also played the piano and even as the dementia progressed he would still pick up his guitar or play the piano. He spoke several languages fluently including Spanish, French, German, Russian, Latin and some Greek.

These last years the Professor continued to educate his children. We learned much about Alzheimer's and how deep our love was for him. We were determined to keep him in the family home where he brought his young family in 1968 and with the help of so many loving caregivers, we did. We will be forever grateful to the many caregivers who helped over the years. Many of them became family and mourn with us: Bridget Roberts, Teresa Roberts, Kathy King-Halley, Janice Brett, Shelly Means, and his beloved Goddaughter, Joyce McCarty. His son, Lody was his primary care-giver. They shared a love of science and enjoyed midnight talks.

Waiting to greet him in heaven is his wife Charlene, his granddaughter, Crystal, his sisters Margaret, Esther, Carmen, Trini, Maria and brothers Frank, Robert, Jesse, Manny, Larry, John, and Emmanuel and his mother and father. He has spent the last few years looking for his mother and we rejoice that they are finally reunited.

Left to remember the Professor are his brothers, Luiz (Becky) and Joe (Denise), both of California ; his sister, Dolores Armendarez, of California; his children, Mamie Farish of Owensboro and Jenny Armendarez of Chicago, Pete (Maureen) of Knoxville, TN, Patrick Joseph (Beatriz) of Houston, TX, Phillip (Ann) of Owensboro, John (Billie) of Hasting, MI, Bill (Simone) of Owensboro and Lawrence "Lody" of Owensboro; grandchildren, Katie (Jonathan) Willocks, Hannah (Alex) Collier, Marie, Nick, Phillip (Nancy), Zac, Elizabeth and Cathy Armendarez, John Peter, Rebecca, Mary Beth, and Joey Farish; great-grandchildren, Isabella, Ian, Braylin, Joel and Camila; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The funeral Mass will be at Noon, Tuesday, December 29 at St. Stephen Cathedral. Visitation will be Monday from 3:00 until 6:00 PM at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and Tuesday after 11:00 AM at the church. Burial will be at Calhoun Cemetery.

The number of those attending the visitation or funeral Mass for Dr. Armendarez shall be within current health and safety directives. Family and friends visiting the funeral home shall wear appropriate masks and enter the doors near the flagpole on the Breckenridge Street side of the building.

Memorial contributions may be made to GRADD Aging Services, 300 Gradd Way, Owensboro, KY, 42301. 

           Calhoun Cemetery - Owensboro, Kentucky