Peter A. Parmantie, 91, of Rockford died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family after a brief illness. He was born in Chicago to Peter and Daisy (Kennedy) Parmantie. Peter served in the US Army from 1951-1953, and after his discharge attended ISNU under the GI Bill. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and English and a master’s degree in English.

In 1955 he married the love of his life, Marilyn Stehlik of Coal City, IL, who he met at ISNU, and began his 42-year High School teaching career, first teaching in Mount Olive and Geneseo, before joining the ISNU faculty and teaching English at University High School from 1961 until his retirement in 1997.

He enjoyed his long and distinguished teaching career first and foremost because he liked his students, and he respected them by returning their work by the next class period, by sharing his infamous puns and stupid jokes, by never losing his temper, and by always providing his students with opportunities to redo work, because his belief was the grade was theirs, not his imposed on them. He had a sign in his classroom that said, “Time passes, will you?” to encourage his students to do their best.

Peter was a four-time recipient of the Carlock-Moore Teaching Award and a sponsor for several years of the National Honor Society at U-High. Upon his retirement, the Peter Parmantie Educational Scholarship was established through the ISU Foundation.

In January of 2023, he sold his home of 61 years and moved to Siena on Brendenwood in Rockford where he enjoyed a solid year of safe, independent living near family.

Peter is survived by his brother, Michael (Inés) of Madrid, Spain; his son Walter (Rita) Parmantie of Boerne, TX; his daughter, Amy (Ross) Hintzman of Machesney Park; grandchildren, Ramona and Matthew Parmantie; Sr. Maria Consolata, MSSR (Kelsey), Tanner (Stephanie), Nathaniel (Rachel), and Laura Hintzman; great grandchildren, Skylie Carreno, Maliyah Wrublewski, Maverick, Elodie, Ophelia, and Evangeline Hintzman. He was predeceased by his parents, Brother, Gilbert, and in 2013 by his beloved wife Marilyn.

Peter’s family would like to thank each and every staff member of OSF St Anthony Medical Center’s ER, Critical Care Unit, Pastoral Care, OSF Hospice and OSF Lifeline who all treated him with respect and dignity during his illness. The family would also like to highlight the caring staff and welcoming residents of Siena on Brendenwood who made Peter’s last year a safe, secure, and happy one.

He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family, friends, old and new, and former students.

Memorials may be made in his name to the Wounded Warriors Project; Poor Clare’s Corpus Christi Monastery, Rockford; Home Sweet Home Mission, Bloomington, IL; and Peter Parmantie Educational Scholarship, ISU Foundation.

Funeral Mass at 11:00 am Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Holy Family Catholic Church, Rockford. Burial in East Lawn Cemetery, Bloomington, IL. Visitation from 10:30am until service time, Tuesday in the church. Visitation from 10 am until 11 am Wednesday, March 6, in East Lawn Funeral Home and Cemetery 1102 Airport Road Bloomington, IL 61704 with burial to follow. Arrangements by Tony Gasparini Funerals, Rockford, also assisting the family, East Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens Bloomington, IL.