John Warfield Armiger Jr.

"He created for the Police Department its own Arlington Cemetery. It was a magnificent and thoughtful thing to do," said Cornelius J. Behan, retired Baltimore County police chief. "John certainly had a warm place in his heart for police officers, firefighters and veterans. He was the most generous man I've ever known and was following in his father's footsteps."

The son of John W. Armiger Sr., a Towson lawyer, and Jean Stark Armiger, a homemaker, John Warfield Armiger Jr. was born in Baltimore and raised in Ruxton.

After graduating in 1962 from Gilman School, he earned a bachelor's degree in American studies in 1966 from Yale University and then attended law school for a year at the University of Baltimore.

Mr. Armiger worked briefly for the Orioles in public relations before joining the faculty of Gilman School, where he taught middle school history and current events.

"John was also my assistant varsity basketball coach and also headed the alumni office. He was just a wonderful human being who cared enormously for the kids and was passionate about people," said Sherm A. Bristow, former assistant headmaster at Gilman.

"He gave the alumni office an identity that it didn't have before. He was also an excellent photographer and took lots of pictures of Gilman students that now go back 40 years," said Mr. Bristow.

In 1958, the elder Mr. Armiger established Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens cemetery in Timonium that had once been a farm and airstrip.

A World War II veteran, the elder Mr. Armiger established the Field of Honor, dedicated in 1968 for honorably discharged veterans, to which was added the Circle of the Immortals for men and women killed in action. He added the Fallen Heroes Memorial in 1976 for first responders who were killed in the line of duty. They and their spouses could be buried there for free.

Mr. Armiger joined his father at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in 1976 and two years later was named cemetery president. His father died in 1985.

In 1984, after three Baltimore County firefighters were buried in the cemetery, Mr. Armiger felt compelled to hold an annual ceremony honoring fallen police officers, firefighters, correctional officers and paramedics. Beginning in 1986, Fallen Heroes Day has been observed on the first Friday in May.

"This is a way we can give back to those who protect us nationally and locally," Mr. Armiger told The Baltimore Sun in 2003. "Positioned where we are, we owe them that."

He later added a Memorial Day ceremony to honor the military dead buried in the cemetery.

"It bothers me that outwardly, people seem more interested [on Memorial Day] in the opening of the pool, the sales and going to the beach," he told The Sun in a 1992 interview. "All of that is fine as long as they remember why they have the day off in the first place."

In 1993, he dedicated the Children of Liberty Memorial, which honored service personnel killed by terrorists, and five years later, added another memorial dedicated to World War II and Korean veterans that was a gift to Baltimore County citizens by the cemetery.

A collector of Americana, Mr. Armiger brought a deep sense of personal patriotism to his work.

"John was a most giving person, taught so many people, and did so many nice things. He really cared about everyone here. He was great to all who worked for him," said Mary P. Auld, who works at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in public relations.

"He was just the kindest person but was very private. He didn't like a lot of attention and never sought the limelight," said Ms. Auld. "Whenever he heard that a child or a family had been killed in a fire, they were given free burials, just like he did for the military, firefighters and police, and in doing so, touched countless families."

She said that Mr. Armiger was more than just a boss.

"He did so many things for me personally. He treated me as a friend, not just as a worker," said Ms. Auld. "He made a huge difference in my life."

Linda L. Chisholm went to work at the cemetery in 1971, eventually becoming executive vice president.

"He was the most giving, kind and well-respected man," said Ms. Chisholm. "He taught me integrity, ethics and how to care for people and helping them at the worst time in their lives. John had people coming back to thank him for years afterward."

She added: "He was a most humble man and never took credit for anything."

In 2007, Mr. Armiger sold Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens and retired.

He collected political memorabilia, flags, military antiques, Uncle Sams and eagles, family members said.

Mr. Armiger's work earned him many awards, some of which included being named an honorary state trooper in 1993 and a Baltimore County fire chief in 2003. In 2008, he received the American Flag Foundation's Louis V. Koerber Award for Patriotism.

In 2011, a group of individuals established the John Armiger Scholarship Fund Inc., which honors the work of both father and son, and provides college scholarships to young men and women contemplating careers in law enforcement, firefighting,and rescue, EMS and correctional services.

A celebration of life service for Mr. Armiger will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Havenwood Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Ridgely Road, Timonium.

Interment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in John’s memory to The John Armiger Scholarship Fund, Inc., 200 E. Padonia Road, Timonium, MD 21093 &/or MARYLAND COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors), c/o Brenda Price, MARYLAND COPS Treasurer, P.O. Box 393, Princess Anne, MD 21853.

Mr. Armiger is survived by three sisters, the Rev. Helen Stark Armiger of Catonsville, Sydney Warfield Armiger of Lutherville and Katherine Armiger Kotcher of Cincinnati; and three nephews.