Peter B. Armitage

Peter passed away on December 24, 2015, after having suffered a stroke in September. Peter is survived by his wife, Sheila, their daughter Stephanie, both in the USA: brother Jeremy in France; brother Anthony in Spain, and sister Jennifer, also in Spain; also many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Hazel, and sister Rosemarie. Peter Braithwaite Armitage was born on July 12, 1939, in Hampstead, England. One of his earliest memories was of his house being bombed by a doodlebug on 1 July, 1944. After attending St. George’s school in Mill Hill, England, Peter was sent to boarding school at Ardingly College, at age nine. During his four years at Ardingly College Peter excelled at sports. At age thirteen, Peter won a sports scholarship to Mill Hill School. He was a member of Collinson House. While at Mill Hill, Peter played many sports, among others cricket and rugby. Peter was a proud member of the Old Millhillians Club. After leaving Mill Hill School, Peter served as an Army Officer in the King’s African Rifles, in East Africa. While there, he learned to speak Swahili. Peter left the military after three years and returned to London. He studied at the School for Oriental and African Studies, where he earned his undergraduate degree. While there he did field study in Nigeria and Kenya. Peter then began work in the film industry for three years. Two films that he was especially proud of were Country Dance, and The Yellow Rolls Royce. Peter left the film industry to become an educator. He taught, first at the Bec Grammar School in Wandsworth. Peter then joined the Arabian American Oil Company in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, as an English instructor. After three years, Peter became a lecturer at King Saud University in Riyadh, where he met his wife, Sheila. Their daughter Stephanie was born in Riyadh. Peter completed his M.Phil. degree from the University of London, in 1989, while living in Riyadh. In 1992, Peter decided that the best place for his family was in America, and they moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, so that Peter could complete work on his Doctor of Philosophy degree, which he completed in 2000. His thesis was turned into a published book, Political Relationship and Narrative Knowledge. In 2005, Peter became a Naturalized USA citizen, keeping his British citizenship and passport. He was very proud of his USA citizenship, and voted in every election from that time on. Peter spent his later years writing articles on leadership, culture, and organization. He was a member of the English Speaking Union in Washington, D.C., and enjoyed attending their many functions in the nation’s capital. He loved attending the monthly Shakespeare lectures at the Cosmos Club in Washington. He was an avid member of the Old Millhillian’s Club. Peter will be fondly remembered by his many friends and neighbors from his daily walks around the neighborhood. Peter will be remembered by the planting of a memorial tree at his home in Annandale, Virginia, in the spring of 2016.