Peter Joseph Lopez

Peter ?Pete? Joseph Lopez Peter ?Pete? Joseph Lopez passed away at Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston on Thursday 29 July after surgery and a brief illness. He was ninety four years young. He was born on June 29th,1916 in Boomer, West Virginia and for much of his life was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Boomer. When he moved to Nitro after retirement, he attended St. Francis of Assisi Church in St. Albans. He was a owner and operator of small business in Powellton, West Virginia from 1946 through 1980. He also worked for more than 50 years in support the Fayette County Board of Education driving a school bus and in later years worked to support special needs children. He never forgot the importance of education for his family and himself. He earned his high school degree in 1986 at the age of seventy. Pete Lopez was greatly loved by his wife,sisters, sons, stepsons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and so many more who knew him. No one needed to ask for assistance, he always offered and gave of himself, particularly to his family. Pete Lopez grew up as the son of Italian immigrant parents in the years of the great depression. He was fond of telling his family how his parents, sisters and he overcame every obstacle. His life was filled with milestones. In 1932 his parents and family lost everything when their home in Elkridge, West Virginia was destroyed and washed away by a flash flood. Pete, although a very young boy, asked his father permission to leave school and join him in the coal mines to help support the family. By 1936 he had earned enough money to purchase his mother's first new washing machine ($49.50 and a new Norge refrigerator ($69.50). Later that year he bought the first family car, a new 1936 Plymouth for $485. His payments were $18 dollars a month. He married his first wife, Juanita (deceased) in 1938 and his sons were born in 1940 and 1946. In 1946 he opened his own business, a Texaco gas station and a small adjoining restaurant. He retired from from a very successful business 1980 and continued to be employed by the Fayette County Board of Education. In his spare time he became an avid dancer and expert in clogging. While at a dance in 1986 he met his wife, Frances. They were married in 1987. He retired from all employment at age eighty-one in 1997. He found new interests in manufacturing bird houses and feeding and watching birds and small wild animals such as squirrels and rabbits. Pete Lopez was at ease with people of all walks of life. He truly enjoyed engaging with family, friends, people in business or social events. He imbued his sons and many others with a strong work ethic and a sense of patriotism and love of God, Family and Country. His greatest enjoyment, however, was his interaction and support of his extended family. The words "no" or "why" were not in his vocabulary when any member of his family needed assistance. He was always there! He was admired by all who knew him and his love and support of all things "family" is a wonderful example to emulate. Mr. Lopez is survived by his wife Frances; his sisters Mary Cimino, Rosemary Hall, Reba White and husband, Tete, and Lena LeRose; his sons, Admiral T. Joseph Lopez, USN (Ret.), J. Michael Lopez and his wife Susan; his stepsons, Jack D. Whitt and his wife Shirley, Jason D. Whitt and his wife Debora and Jonathan D. Whitt and wife Cara; his grandchildren, Commander Tom Lopez, USNR and his wife Anne, Dominique Lopez-Lepse and her husband, Captain Jim Lepse, USN (Ret.), Tiffney Bess and her husband David, Clay Lopez and his wife Shannon, and Michael Brian Lopez (deceased); his great-grandchildren, Cameron Miller, CMCR Zachary Miller, USN, Lauren Boudreau, Kaitlyn Lopez, Kristen Lopez, Brian J. Lopez, Tristyn Bess and Nicholas Lopez. Memorial services will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in St. Albans, West Virginia at 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 3,2010 with Father Patrick M. McDonough officiating. Burial will follow in Montgomery Memorial Park, London. An extended family visitation will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Church at 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm on Monday, August 2, 2010 followed by a visitation at the church for friends from 4:30-6:00pm. A Rosary Service will be held 6:00pm Monday at the church following visitation. Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, 409 Sixth Avenue St. Albans is charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy can be forwarded to www.chapmanfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers it is requested that consideration be given to contributions to: St. Francis of Assisi School, 1023 Sixth Ave, St. Albans, West Virginia 25177.