Arnold Benicio Peinado Jr.

Arnold B. Peinado Jr., age 87, was called to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 14, 2019. He passed away peacefully at the hospital with family at his side. Arnold was born on October 22, 1931. He was the son of Arnulfo Sr. and Themis Molina Peinado. He spent his childhood at 1517 Nevada Street where he grew up with his brothers and worked after school at his father’s Texaco station on Texas Street. He graduated from El Paso High School in 1948 and was valedictorian of his class. After high school Arnold attended Johns Hopkins University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1952. He went on to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a Master of Science in Engineering in 1953. After graduating from M.I.T. and returning to El Paso, he was drafted in the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan for two years where he served in the Army Corps of Engineers. While Arnold was in the Army, he married Rose de la Torre on July 12, 1954.

After the Army, Arnold moved to San Francisco, California with Rose and went to work for the structural engineering firm of Simpson and Strata. After three years in California, he returned to El Paso to help his father and uncles with their home building business. In 1967, with his brother Bob, Arnold started Peinado and Peinado Structural Engineers and together they designed the structural elements of numerous notable buildings in El Paso, including the Civic Center Theater, Basset Tower, Andress and Bowie High Schools, Morehead Elementary and the McDonald Observatory. Their business was unique because it was the only engineering firm in the area that was Hispanic owned. In 1974, both Arnold and Bob were recognized by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers in El Paso as Engineers of the Year. In 1975, together with his brothers Bob, George and Raul, they purchased land on the west side of El Paso and started AVC Development Corporation. AVC developed the pioneering projects of Casitas, Jardines and Quintas Coronado utilizing innovative architects from California. In 1986, Arnold and Bob went back to their engineering roots and designed waste water treatment plants for maquiladoras in Mexico. In 2000, Arnold partnered with investors from Mexico and developed the Wildwood subdivision on the west side and built three successful self- storage facilities under the Franklin Self Storage brand. Arnold retired in 2014.

Throughout his life, Arnold was involved and held positions in numerous professional and charitable organizations in the El Paso community. He was President of the United Cerebral Palsy (ran the TV telethon) and President of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce. He was also a Director of the Boy Scouts of America, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Providence Hospital. He was a proud member of the Knights of Galvez. Arnold also strongly supported organizations like The Nature Conservancy and the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance as he was passionate about preserving wilderness areas.

Arnold was a loving and supportive father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, all of whom were of the utmost importance to him. He loved the outdoors and hiking was one of his favorite activities. He enjoyed camping, backpacking, picnicking and exploring the countryside. Arnold was an avid reader and enjoyed reading about geology, archeology, science and anthropology. He and Rose traveled extensively around the world and were keen on visiting historical and archeological sites.

Arnold was happiest when he was around family and always enjoyed a good family get together. He was known as a very hard worker and a man of the highest integrity. He loved a hot bowl of menudo, mariachis and a medium rare steak. Arnold loved his wife Rose and his three children immensely and provided a loving home, a good education and wise advice and assistance all their lives. He had a full and wonderful life and is now taking a well deserved rest. Arnold is survived by his three children Arnie, Steve and Melissa and their spouses Sandy, Letty and Bobby. He has six grandchildren Nicole, Steve, Chip, Justin, Sam and Betsy and three great grandchildren Eli, Ben and Teddy. He is also survived by his brothers Bob and George.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 starting at 9:00am to be followed by a service and remembrance at 10:00am, all to be held at Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler Drive, El Paso, TX 79912. Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park, 4848 Alps Drive, entrance on Dyer Street. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Arnold B Peinado Jr. may be made to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), one of his great passions, at The Nature Conservancy c/o Carrie VanDusen, 200 Pottersville Road, Chester, NJ 07930, 908-879-7262. Online donations to TNC can be made at https://www.nature.org/en-us/membership-and-giving/donate-to-our-mission/other-ways-to-give/honor-and-tribute-giving/. A tribute donation can also be made in Arnold’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C., 20090, 915-544-1799 and online at https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate.