Peter William Travis

West Point, 1992

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by The Kittrie Family (Z, Tan, Theodore & Truman) With Fondness for the Travises on October 24, 2021:

There are few people that made as strong an immediate impression on me as Peter Travis. Without exaggeration, I can say he is the kind of person who I wanted to be when I was little. He had so many rare and exquisite qualities. He was smart, grounded, luminous and intellectually curious. And had the biggest heart of anyone! Pete was infectious with his kindness and his generosity of spirit. He found a partner, later in life, a beautiful peer (Ali Travis) who is stellar in her own right. Together they raised and nurtured boys (James, Luke & Peter) into young adulthood. They had furry friends (dogs) incorporated into their bustling family and even opened their home FURTHER - to animal foster care! As someone who had the great good fortune to be able attend their nuptials, I feel compelled to share a few memories. The weather was so perfect, it was like the Heavenly Hosts were smiling down on their event. The compatibility between the two was SO evident, you could almost feel a radioactive glow (major sparks + heat !) from their love, when they were standing close. Seeing them as a united team imbued a person with admiration, optimism and a confidence in the future. As the years passed, I spent time w/ Mrs. Travis on a regular basis (She's in the leadership of the Agency where I work). It was always clear that Pete & Ali put family and values first. When you'd look into Ali's office (at work) on a day when Stafford County schools had a Teacher Admin. Day there's a strong likelihood that one of the Boys would be not far from her, thoughtfully set-up in the corner studiously reading or doing homework. A sign on the door could've read: "Travises at Work !" LOL Even a brief Eulogy must tell the truth. In addition to those warm, creative and effervescent qualities, Pete was a natural born leader. He was as close to that pinnacle as anyone I've encountered on Earth. He was observant, nimble and decisive, which made him a standout at West Point, in his private time as a hobbyist boatsman/sailor, and throughout his career. He had a gift for assessing any situation and for action. As they say of many superstars, he "had no ceiling." So, what do we do when a fantastic person is with us, in this dimension, for too brief a period of time? Permit me to offer an answer based upon my own experience. I deeply believe that you must celebrate the incredible phenomenon you witnessed. Each time I saw Pete, I said to myself: "Woah! He is the SAME AWESOME, dynamic guy!" I also wasn't sure that he had aged, even a minute! That feeling of joy and exhilaration will never leave me. When you experience someone of that high quality, it makes you want to be a better person. A more active parent. A more attentive listener. A more present-minded and ambitious partner to a spouse and family members. You can't help but want to live life more affirmatively and intentionally! We wouldn't be human if that exhilaration wasn't twinned with a pang of sadness and sense of loss. What do you do with those feeling? Each of us have to grapple and find our own answers. For our family, we've made the transition to appreciating that Pete's up in Heaven, achieving a higher purpose. God called him up and brought him in. In my mind's eye, Pete's probably helping improve Heaven in some way - with his curiosity, good naturedness, cleverness and humility. In closing, I'm going to propose something and I hope it doesn't sound too kooky or abstract. I apologize, only slightly, for saying this: If you were G-d, wouldn't you want to have quality-time w/Peter W. Travis? I know that I would! - I hope that image leaves... everyone reading this with a smile on their face. Our family, along with many others, share deepest condolences and send the purest type of love to the Travis family and the UMSA Class of 1992 members who knew and loved Peter W. Travis, a gentleman, scholar, excellent friend/spouse/father/role model and extraordinary human. Amen.

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