Peter DeSaix

1945 - 2021

Peter DeSaix
September 19, 1945 - December 23, 2021
St Louis, Missouri - Peter DeSaix of Chapel Hill, NC died peacefully while asleep on December 23rd surrounded by family. He was born on September 19, 1945 in Washington, DC to Christine Calhoun DeSaix and Pierry Francis (Pete) DeSaix.
He graduated from Asheville High school, received his BS from Sewanee and his PhD in zoology from UNC Chapel Hill. In graduate school he met and married his wife of 51 years, Jean Swaim DeSaix. Following a postdoc in the Department of Bacteriology, for a short time he used his computer skills in the business world. His university career was in the UNC-CH School of Public Health, first in the Department of Biostatistics, then in Epidemiology, and finally in an administrative position for the school. During that time, he served as a consultant and site reviewer for private and governmental agencies.
Peter taught Anatomy and Physiology in the UNC Biology Department at multiple times throughout his career and was a senior author on an Anatomy and Physiology textbook. He was a faculty mentor to Carolina Covenant students, the UNC Habitat Chapter and Episcopal Campus Ministry as well as a founding director of the Undergraduate Rural Medicine Pathway Project. There are many students across the country and the world who remember Peter's smiling, caring mentorship.
Peter will always be remembered as a kind, loving father, husband, brother, friend, and mentor. He dedicated his life to family, church, and students, all of whom benefitted from his considerable cooking skills. He loved basketball, fishing, and wood working. He is survived by his wife, Jean Swaim DeSaix, daughters Anna DeSaix and Amy DeSaix, sister Marianne DeSaix Harshbarger, and brother John DeSaix. In lieu of flowers, Peter requested donations to the Jean DeSaix Excellence in Teaching Funds in the Biology Department at UNC-CH https://give.unc.edu/donate?f=104630&p=aasf or to the Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church, 304 East Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC.
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date when it is possible to gather safely.