James B. Peter M.D. Ph.D.

Peter, James B.,
M.D., Ph.D.
Age 76 - Oct 30, 2009
Santa Monica, CA. Passed away at his home due to complications with cancer. Renowned Contributor to Science and Medicine. A native of Omaha, NE, Dr. Jim Peter earned his B.S. degree at Creighton University in 1954, his M.D. degree at St. Louis University in 1958, and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1963. The latter took place under the guidance of Professor Paul D. Boyer (Nobel Laureate, 1997), whom Jim and his wife, Joan followed to UCLA that same year. Jim subsequently joined the faculty at UCLA and over many years has served as Professor, Clinical Professor, and College of Letters and Sciences Advisory Board Member. He was a world renowned medical scientist and author of more than 450 publications in journals of science and medicine, and editor of 27 books. Recognizing the challenge of bringing modern biochemistry and immunology to the clinical laboratory marketplace, Dr. Peter founded Specialty Laboratories in 1975. His training and extensive hands-on bench experience, coupled with cutting edge research and development and state of the art technologies led to the expeditious development of tests with far greater clinical value to practitioners than previously seen. Early on the mission of Specialty Laboratories was very clearly defined: to "Help Doctors Help Patients". When Specialty was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2000, it's 800 employees offered 3800 tests to 8000 clients in 16 countries. Often minimizing his leadership, Dr. Peter has said, "My exposure to the works of many leading scientists has been key to the achievements of Specialty." Referring to his former Specialty Laboratories' colleagues recently, he called them "beloved" and quoted Sir Isaac Newton saying, "I stood on the shoulders of giants." In 2006, Specialty was acquired by AmeriPath Inc. which was subsequently acquired by Quest Diagnostics in 2007. Jim Peter's love of science and medicine is well known, but Faith and Family were his bedrock. In recent years he devoted all his energy to his decades-long passion: inner-city Catholic schools. Jim and Joan founded the Specialty Family Foundation in 2006 in an effort to help ensure a Catholic education for demographically disadvantaged children. That focus was narrowed further with the January 2009 launch of the Catholic Schools Consortium. A key component of the Specialty Family Foundation, the Consortium consists of 12 inner city Catholic schools involved in a three year capacity building pilot program that will serve as a replicable template for resuscitating Catholic schools in distress. Jim was fond of quoting a Notre Dame Task Force report that read, "When the story of Catholic Schools is written, historians will look back on our age and marvel that against great odds, we changed the ending." In addition to its focus on Catholic education, Jim and Joan have directed the Specialty Family Foundation to research and confirm the best methods of supporting those who treat persons with alcohol and substance abuse problems. These two strategies -- the support of recovery programs and Catholic education, are designed to help alleviate two conditions that can lead to persistent poverty. Jim and his wife, Joan, shared 53 years together - they married during his second year of medical school and proceeded to raise 7 children. Depending on the season, you could locate Jim hunting, fly-fishing or more recently golfing with sons, sons-in-law and/or grandsons and granddaughters. On any given summer weekend, he could be found in Lake Arrowhead "kicking back" with anywhere from 5 to 20 family members. Jim is predeceased by his son, Carl J. Peter, III and his brother Carl J. Peter, II, as well as by his parents Carl J. and Anne Marie Peter. In addition to his wife, Joan, Jim is survived by his 6 children and their spouses: Deb Estes (Jim), Joan Noneman (Charlie), Jim Peter, Jr. (Jackie), Karen Cane (Bernard), Chris Gard, Arthur Peter (Mia), and 12 grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by his brother, Rev. Val J. Peter of Boys Town, NE and his sister, Mary Anne Hohman (Bob) of Alexandria, Virginia.
Rosary Service is Monday at 7pm at St. Monica Catholic Church. FUNERAL MASS to be offered Tuesday at 10:15am at St. Monica Catholic Church, followed by internment at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made for tuition assistance directly to a school in the Specialty Family Foundation /Catholic Schools Consortium, or to the Saint Monica Catholic Church Building Fund.