Pelayo H. Fernandez, 94, of Gijon, Spain, passed away peacefully on November 21 of 2022, surrounded by his family and loved ones.

He was predeceased by his wife Winnie.

Pelayo is survived by sons; Pelayo F.  and wife Michelle, Alfredo and wife Karla; daughters, Maria, Luchi and husband José Luis and Teresa; granddaughters, Marisa, Laura, Cristina and Natalia; grandsons, Rafael, Diego and Ricardo.

Pelayo was a UNM emeritus Professor of Spanish. He arrived in New York from Spain in 1953. Like so many millions of immigrants, he came in pursuit of the American Dream which he eventually achieved, and for which he was always proud and grateful.

After months of odd jobs, first in Saint Louis, MO, and later in Los Angeles, CA, he validated his Law studies at the Universities of Oviedo and Madrid, and worked his way through college to obtain a B.A. degree (Spanish Major, English Minor) from Berkeley University in 1957. He went on to earn an M.A. from Wayne State University (Detroit) in 1959.

Pelayo returned to Europe and alternated studies between France and Spain, receiving a Certificate, honorable mention, from La Sorbonne in 1960 and a Ph.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Salamanca in 1961. It was in Salamanca that Pelayo met an American student from Harvard named Winnie Koch, his future wife. He always said that was the luckiest moment of his life.

His doctoral dissertation establishing a parallel between William James and Miguel de Unamuno — pivotal figures in their respective cultures — revealed Pelayo's deep interest in understanding U.S. values and U.S. philosophical pragmatism.

Pelayo initiated his professional career in the field of Spanish Language and Literature at the University of Connecticut (Storrs) in 1961, transferring to UNM in 1963 where he taught for 30 years. Upon joining UNM faculty, Pelayo initiated a Sunday radio program at KABQ aimed at preserving Spanish language and culture in New Mexico. He also co-founded the weekly newspaper El Hispano, where he wrote extensively on Spanish historical roots in the USA, and he later became a member of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Society.

Author of numerous articles in scholarly journals, Pelayo's publications include twelve internationally recognized books on prominent 20th century Spanish writers Miguel de Unamuno, Ramon Perez de Ayala, Jose Ortega y Gasset. His popular textbook Estilistica (Stylistics) reached a 7th edition. In addition, he was responsible for two international Symposiums at UNM : on Ramon Perez de Ayala in 1980, and on Jose Ortega y Gasset in 1985.

Dreaming of erecting a statue in honor of Albuquerque's founder Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdes, Pelayo secured the participation of historian Marc Simmons and former City Council President Patrick Baca. The statue was eventually unveiled on April 23, 1988. His push for recognition of Cuervo y Valdés' own birthplace in Spain brought about the naming of a local Library in Asturias after Albuquerque's founder as well.

On the 8th of May in 1986, Pelayo received the Spanish Medal of the Order of Civil Merit as decreed by Spain's King Juan Carlos, and personally bestowed upon him at UNM by the Spanish Consul in Houston.

A celebration of life for Pelayo will be held at a future date.