Lt. Col. (Ret.) Peter Gervac Cei (1909–1981)
Early Life and Education
Peter Gervac Cei was born on June 19, 1909, in Germany to Italian parentsNarrative Report for Lt. Col.
He immigrated to the United States as a young man and pursued higher education at the School of Mines and Metallurgy in Lexington, Missouri, graduating in May 1934 with a degree in mine engineering. While there, he served as a cadet lieutenant in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).
Becoming an American Citizen
Peter applied for U.S. citizenship and was naturalized on June 18, 1935, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. When he took his oath before Judge Charles A. Dewey, he renounced allegiance to both Germany and Italy, having been born in Germany to Italian parents. His case was highlighted in local newspapers for the unusual “double oath” he took to become a U.S. citizen.
Military Service
Shortly after becoming a citizen, Peter began his military career. In 1935, he served in the military reserves in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and by October 1939 was a First Lieutenant with the reserves in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
When the United States entered World War II, Peter was already on active duty. He was promoted to Captain in the Engineer Corps in November 1942 and continued advanced training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the following year.
During the war, Peter served in Europe as an engineer officer and was wounded in action in 1945. He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, a title he would carry throughout life. After the war, he was discharged on June 30, 1947.
Later Life and Career
Peter’s military service continued to shape his life. Census and city directory records place him in Arkansas during the 1940s and 1950s, where he worked as a government supervisor and lived in both Little Rock and DeKalb Township, Grant County. By 1969, he and his wife had retired to Clearwater, Florida.
Marriage and Family
Peter married Dorothy Alice Lighter, the daughter of Alvin Hamilton Lighter and Lida A. Crawford. Dorothy was born on August 27, 1906, in Kansas. She grew up in Dodge City and later attended school in Rolla, Missouri, where she appeared in the University of Missouri yearbooks of the late 1920s.
The couple’s only known child, Peter Gervas Cei Jr., was born on June 30, 1935, in Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa.
Dorothy supported her husband’s military career, moving frequently between posts. In later years, she became active in civic groups such as the Tropic Hills Garden Club in Clearwater. She passed away on July 10, 1975, in Plant City, Florida, at the age of 68. Both Peter and Dorothy are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Passing
Lt. Col. Peter Cei died on July 11, 1981, in Leavenworth, Kansas, at the age of 72. His long and loyal service to both his adopted country and his family remains a lasting legacy.
Col. Peter Gervas Cei Jr. (1935–2025)
Early Life and Education
Peter Gervas Cei Jr. was born on June 30, 1935, in Glenwood, Iowa, shortly before his father’s naturalization as a U.S. citizen. He spent his early childhood in Arkansas, as shown in census records from 1940 and 1950, which list him living with his parents in Pulaski and later Grant County.
He attended the University of Arkansas, graduating in 1956 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. During college, he participated in ROTC, preparing for a future military career, much like his father before him.
Military Career
Upon graduation, Peter was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Armored Force of the U.S. Army. His service took him around the world, including two tours in Vietnam, where he earned two Bronze Stars with an Oak Leaf Cluster for bravery and leadership.
By the 1970s, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and participated in large-scale military simulations at Fort Leavenworth in 1978. After more than two decades of service, he retired in February 1980.
Marriage and Family
On December 13, 1956, Peter married Cecil Christine Hargis at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Christine was born November 11, 1936, in Edgecombe, North Carolina, the daughter of Samuel C. and Christine Hargis of Radcliff, Kentucky. Newspaper announcements described their engagement and wedding at the Fort Knox Post Chapel.
The couple had at least one son, Peter Michael Cei, born November 26, 1957, in DeRidder, Louisiana. He passed away in April 2005.
After Christine’s passing on September 5, 2019, Peter remarried Irene Hustead, who survives him.
Later Years and Death
Following his military retirement, Peter and his family lived in Kansas, including Bonner Springs and later Raymore, Missouri, where he died on September 26, 2025, at age 90.
His obituary highlighted his dedication to both country and family—a reflection of the values shared by both father and son.
Legacy
The Cei family story spans two generations of military service, beginning with an immigrant who took a double oath to become an American and continuing through a son who served with distinction in Vietnam. From the battlefields of Europe to the training grounds of Fort Knox and the University of Arkansas campus, their lives intertwined personal commitment, patriotic duty, and the enduring bond of family.