Pete Armando Vigil, age 99, entered eternal peace early Saturday morning, January 20, 2024.He went peacefully in his sleep at home in Bartlett, Tennessee, after being diagnosed with acute kidney failure just two weeks previously.

Pete was born on April 14, 1924, in San Francisco, (El Rito) (La Valley) which is near San Luis, Colorado. He was the son of Antonio Esteban Vigil and Francisquita Medina. On May 2, 1924, he was baptized as Pedro Orlando Vigil at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church by the Reverand J. Torrandell in San Luis, Colorado, but later changed his middle name to Armando in honor of a favorite cousin that was killed.

In Costilla, New Mexico, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Pete married Lupita Gonzales on March 31, 1947. They had 5 children; however, the first baby died shortly after birth. They were married for 74 years until Lupita's passing at the age of 93 in Bastrop, TX on July 14, 2021. On June 28, 2021, they were honored at the Diocesan Catholic Women's Convention in Temple, TX as being the oldest living married couple in the diocese of Austin, TX. They were a very loving and devoted couple.

Pete was a hard-working man who loved the outdoors. He loved riding his horse in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near his home. He loved hunting, fishing, cooking, dancing, and playing poker. He grew up as a farmer and never lost his passion for growing things. He always grew a garden every year until just 2 ½ years ago. His work career in the early years was very extensive. When he was in the 8th grade, he quit school to go to work to earn money for the family. As a young man he went to work in the CCC Camp, Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado. Pete also worked on the railroads in Provo, Utah, and in Rawlins, Wyoming. At other times, he was herding Bucks and sheering sheep seasonally in Wyoming and then returning to Colorado where he and Lupita worked the crops in the fields and various other jobs.

In 1950, he moved his wife and eldest son Ronald to Sidney, Cheyenne County, Nebraska where he was hired immediately by the government to perform vital war work at the Sioux Ordnance/Army Depot. It was the only U.S. Army Ammunition Depot in Nebraska during World War II, the Korean War, and midway through the Vietnam War. It warehoused and distributed all types of ammunition from small arms to 10,000-pound bombs, all types of general supplies from small automobile parts to jeeps, and various strategic and critical materials.

In 1965 he transferred to Red River Army Depot where he was a faithful and devoted employee until his retirement 36 years later. The family lived in New Boston, TX. During that time, he was an ammunition inspector then later became an ammunition maintenance supervisor. Beginning in 1975, he served two assignments in Germany where he worked on the hawk missile program for the Army and lived in Wertheim, Germany. He and Lupita were able to travel Europe extensively. They were also in Rome, Italy at St. Peter's Square when Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded by a bullet. A lady in their tour group stepped in front of Lupita to take a photo and she was struck by a stray bullet which would have likely hit Lupita. They both dearly loved their time in Europe and met many people who became their lifelong friends and some always called them Mom and Dad.

Pete descended from a very distinguished family, the Montes Vigils of Siero, Spain. The Vigil genealogy can be traced to Spain in the 1500's and beyond. Pete is the 6 th Great Grandson of Francisco Montes Vigil, I and Maria Jimenes de Ancisco. Francisco was a soldier/settler, the First Vigil in New Spain/New Mexico. In January 1710, Francisco took possession of a land grant made to him by the Marques de Penuela, on behalf of the King of Spain, as a reward for military service. The Alameda grant, North and West of the settlement of Alameda, crossed the Bernalillo line into Sandoval, New Mexico. This was the site of a Tiwa Indian Pueblo in the 17th Century. In 1712 he was Assistant Captain of the Santa Fe Presidio expedition.

Pete's family were also owners of the Vigil/St Vrain land grant of plus four million acres awarded to Cornelio Vigil who was killed in the Taos rebellion. After he died all his siblings, nieces and nephews inherited because he had no children. Then all of them sold to one heir. On April 17, 1861, fourteen years after the original grant, Cornelio's nephew Jose Gabriel Vigil and his first wife, Apolonia Fresquis sold to Ceran St. Vrain for $600. So, the generations of Vigils to follow lost their claim to that land grant. There is so much in Pete Vigil's family history to go into.

Pete was always a devoted, loving and caring family man. He was very passionate in his love for all his very large family which consisted of 13 brothers and sisters. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Lupita Gonzales, Parents Antonio and Francisquita, Paternal Grandparents Prajedis Vigil and Epifania Martinez, Step Grandfather Eulalio Martinez, Maternal Grandparents Santiago Medina and Juanita Martinez, brothers Antonito, Ernest, Abel, Elias Guillermo, Moises, Charlie and Sister Epifania. Sister-in-laws, Florinda and Julia, Brother-in-laws Marcos Medina and Rusty Renkel. Great Grandchildren Antonio and Abraham Trujillo and Son-in-law Roger Trujillo.

Pete is survived by his brothers Elias (Betty) Vigil and Antonio Felipe Vigil, Sisters Viola Medina, Mary Jane (Michael) Wyatt and Corina Bradley, all of Colorado Springs and Leontina (Manny) Vitale of Brooklyn, NY.

He leaves behind a wealth of loving memories to be cherished by his dearest survivors: Sons Ronald Vigil of Bastrop, TX, Joseph (Esperanza) Vigil of Austin, TX, Daughters Rosemary Trujillo of Thornton, CO. and Linda (Pat) Martindale of Bartlett, TN., Grandchildren Colonel Christopher (Holly) Martindale, Laurinda Martindale, Pete (Amy) Trujillo Sr., Brandon (Julie) Trujillo, Joseph Vigil and Nicole (Richard) Mendoza. Great Grandchildren Pete Trujillo Jr., Ashely Lewis, Audrey Martindale, Alicia and Richard Mendoza Jr. and Great-Great Granddaughter Holi'Dae Trujillo, and many nieces and nephews. He will be deeply missed.

Funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 10, 2024 at the Ave Maria Chapel, 2795 Charles Bryan Rd, Bartlett, Tennessee, 38134 with Father Michael Morgera officiating and a Memorial service for both Pete and Lupita will be held at Sangre de Cristo Catholic Church in San Luis, CO. and internment in San Francisco Cemetery, San Francisco (El Rito) (La Valley) Colorado are pending for a later date.

Please click the link below to view

Pete Vigil Memorial Video