Peter Roy Gregware was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 13, 1948, to Peter Roy Gregware and Lorraine Yoerg Gregware. As a small child, he moved with his parents to Bismarck, spending summers near the North Dakota Badlands where his maternal grandparents ranched. He received a BBA from the University of Notre Dame (1970), J.D. from Columbia University School of Law (1973), M.A. in counseling psychology from Beacon College in Boston (1979) and Ph.D. in Justice Studies from Arizona State University (1990). He moved to Las Cruces in 1990 as an assistant professor at New Mexico State University, where he met his partner-in-life, Nancy V. Baker.

As an associate professor, he served as Department Head in  Criminal Justice and as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences. He received a Fulbright Scholar Award in 2011 to teach at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. He also taught in the NMSU Honors Program. His research focused on issues of justice and law as social control. He published multiple scholarly articles and was an author and co/editor of the legal reader, Courts & Justice. Peter received both the Donald C. Rousch Excellence in Teaching Award and the Patricia Christmore Faculty Teaching Award. He retired from NMSU in 2012.

Prior to joining NMSU, Peter served as assistant district attorney with the Milwaukee District Attorney's office (1984-1986) where his cases focused on the physical and sexual abuse of children. He was Executive Director of a nonprofit in Milwaukee that provided pre-release assistance for troubled young women (1981-1983). Peter also worked as an administrative law attorney at the Boston Poverty Law Clinic (1975-1979), a law clerk with the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands (1973-1974), and a law clerk with the New York City Criminal Court (1972-1973).

Peter loved to explore, from hiking in the Organ Mountains and backpacking throughout the Southwest, to traveling in 48 countries.  He was known for his kindness, brilliant mind, profound commitment to justice, and infectious laugh.  And he loved to dance.

Peter is survived by his wife Nancy, daughter-in-law Mary Flores, grandson Ethan Harmony, all of Las Cruces; granddaughter Asia Poitra and great granddaughter Marceline, both of Denver; sisters Joan Wattles of Denver, and  Marylee Gregware and brother David Gregware, both of Bismarck. He was predeceased by brother Michael Gregware and son Kyle Gregware Harmony.

On January 18, 2026  he quietly passed away of Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Las Cruces and Sunset Crematory, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com