Peter Arthur Firmin

Peter Arthur Firmin was born February 24, 1924, in the very small town of Meeker, Louisiana. Peter's father kept books for Meeker's sugar mill. For all baseball fans, it was the same mill that supplied raw sugar and molasses to the Cracker Jack company in Chicago.

Peter’s family was deeply involved with the local Catholic church. Peter's dad sang, mom played the organ, and Peter, the violin.

Peter's gift for academics soon replaced his interest in the violin. Peter was valedictorian for Le Compte High School's class of 1940 (do the math: he was 16). A full scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU) enabled Peter to attend college, even though the country remained in the grips of the Great Depression. 

Upon graduation from LSU, Peter entered the US Army. He served as a supply clerk from 1942-1944, then entered Officer Candidate School. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, the Army assigned Peter to the Boston Ordinance District. Peter audited war contracts and procured the equipment and machinery for what became known as the Manhattan Project. After the 1945 Victory in Europe (V.E.) Day, the Army transferred Peter to the San Francisco Ordinance District where he continued serving until 1946. 

Once decommissioned, Peter completed his MBA at the University of California, Berkeley. Degree in hand, Peter began teaching at St. Mary’s College. 

In 1949, Peter returned to Louisiana, where he was hired to teach accounting at Tulane University. Peter soon concluded that, to further his academic career, he needed a PhD. He left and completed his doctorate in Accounting and International Business at the University of Michigan in 1957.

In 1959, one of Peter's students wanted to repay Peter for his help in getting an article published. The student arranged a triple date for lunch at Tujaques. Sadly, for that student, he sat his date, Jean Nash, next to Peter. As Peter described it, ‘whistles blew, bells rang, and stars exploded.’ After a whirlwind courtship involving Peter's faithful delivery of the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle and fresh watermelon, Jean accepted Peter's proposal of marriage.

Peter and Jean were married September 3, 1959. They made their first home in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Peter had a Ford Foundation Fellowship to study at the Harvard Business School. 

Their first child, a son, William Cameron, was born there.

Returning to Louisiana and Tulane in 1961, the family continued to grow. As Peter put it at his 100th birthday celebration, it had something to do with his being Catholic. Renée was born in 1961, Thérèse in 1962, Kathryn in 1965, David in 1967, Peter Nash in 1970 and Michael in 1971. 

Even as the family grew, Peter's career progressed. He was named Chair of Tulane's Accounting Department before becoming Dean of the Graduate School of Business. Under Peter's leadership, Tulane’s business school significantly grew its faculty and student body. 

In 1974, Peter accepted a new and exciting challenge, agreeing to serve as Dean of the University of Denver's Business School. Replicating his experience at Tulane and drawing on his extraordinary ability to recognize and recruit talent, Peter grew the school's faculty and student body. He also introduced two new programs: an International Management Program and a Master’s in Taxation.

In Denver, the family also welcomed its newest member, Sandra, Peter’s 1976 bicentennial baby.

Peter resigned as Dean in 1980 and launched his next adventure, accepting a visiting professorship at L’universite d’Aix-Marseille in Aix-en-Provence, France. So, Papa et Mama and the five youngest Firmin’s left for life in France. It was a great time for all with one major consequence: we all became infected with the travel bug. The ailment has no known cure.

On return to Denver University, Peter taught accounting, served as interim Director of the School of Accountancy, and later raised funds for the school. He always called that last position his favorite. Before his final retirement in 2008, Peter authored Pioneering Excellence: A History of Accounting Education at the University of Denver. The university still gives a copy to each student at graduation.

Once retired, Peter and Jean's travels began in earnest. Safaris to Africa; jungle trips in Peru, Costa Rica and Brazil; a desert trip to Morocco; trips to Japan, Thailand and Bhutan. The only continent missed was Antarctica. “Too cold,” Peter declared.

In addition to his work, family life, and travel, Peter was heavily involved in civic and humanitarian causes, notably: Interracial Business Council (New Orleans); the Colorado AIDS Project (Denver); and the South Sudanese American Rehabilitation Organization (Denver).

With his wife, Jean, Peter partnered with one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, James Manyor, to build an orphanage and primary school in James’ home village. Manyor named the school and orphanage Gumriak which means Those who Survived the Disaster. The school and orphanage are now under the sponsorship of Mothering Across Continents.

Looking back, this is the very definition of a life well lived.

Peter is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jean and seven of their eight children and their families; William (Gail); Thérèse (Alan); Kathryn (Patrick); David (Tracy); Peter; Michael (Katrina) and Sandra (Jack) as well as 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Renée (Mark).

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Peter Firmin Fund for Unrestricted Scholarships or Mothering Across Continents. Link is below.