Robert Peter

1935 - 2026

Robert H. Peter "Jess," MD, 90, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, passed away unexpectedly at home on Saturday night, March 7, 2026, with his wife of 64 years, Mary Ann Peter, by his side. Earlier that evening they had attended the Duke–Carolina men's basketball game with their son, Jon, and daughter, Jennifer. It had been a joyful night-until it suddenly wasn't.



For a man whose life was deeply intertwined with Duke-as a student-athlete, physician, teacher, and devoted fan-spending that evening cheering on the Blue Devils with family felt especially fitting.



Robert was born March 23, 1935, in Rockville Centre, New York, to Ella Mae Peter and Alexander Peter, DDS. He graduated from South Side High School in 1953 and went on to attend Duke University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1957. While at Duke he was a standout quarter and half-miler on the track team and served as team captain during his senior year.



Robert continued his education at Duke University School of Medicine, graduating in 1961. He completed his residency at Duke University Hospital and Yale New Haven Hospital before returning to Duke for a fellowship in cardiology. From 1965 to 1967 he served in the United States Navy at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Virginia, where he directed the Cardiopulmonary Laboratory and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander.



Throughout his career at Duke, he was at the forefront of advances in interventional cardiology, helping develop methods to open blocked coronary arteries as alternatives to open-heart surgery. He deeply loved his work and valued the colleagues and coworkers with whom he shared a lifelong commitment to excellent patient care.



His contributions to medicine and medical education were widely recognized. His honors include election to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society; the Thomas Kinney Excellence in Teaching Award; the Eugene Stead Award for Excellence in Teaching, presented by the house staff; the Medal of Merit from the Polish Cardiac Society; and the Thomas M. Bashore, MD Teaching Award from Duke Cardiology Fellows. The Warren S. Newman Fellowship in Cardiology Endowment Fund was established in his honor. He and Mary Ann also created the Friends of Nursing Endowed Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice at Duke University.



Robert served as Associate Director of the Cardiology Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center from 1971 to 1987 and was Professor of Medicine from 1980 until his retirement in 2005. Over the course of his academic career, he authored or co-authored 93 articles in medical journals and book chapters. He was a member of the North Carolina Heart Association and the American Heart Association and was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, and the Council on Clinical Cardiology.



His weekend escape from the hospital was farming. In 1970, he and Mary Ann bought a small farm, Peter Cedars in Orange County, where he mastered gardening, growing hay commercially and raising Angus cattle. He was an active member of the Durham-Orange Cattlemen's Association. Peter Cedars became a great family retreat and source of relaxation for family and friends.



Outside of medicine and farming, he loved sports-both participating in them and cheering from the stands. He served as a timing official at international track meets held at Duke under the direction of his former coach and longtime friend, Al Buehler. For ten years he coached Little League baseball for his sons Jon and Alex and their team, the Borden Bricks.



Later, he enjoyed playing softball with his sons on the Pilgrim United Church of Christ team, where he pitched, and on Club Med, a team composed mostly of Duke medical students and physicians. During Club Med games, his sons could often be heard shouting, "Come on, Dad!"-a cheer occasionally misinterpreted by those in the bleachers who thought the team might be teasing him about his age.

Always the avid Duke fan, he joined the Iron Dukes at the organization's inception. He and Mary Ann attended football and men's basketball games since their student days at Duke and later became devoted fans of Duke women's basketball as well. In recent years, he regularly enjoyed attending meetings of the Durham Sports Club where he had many friends.



Above all, he cherished his family. He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Ann Rohrhurst Peter; his brother, James Alexander Peter; his children Jon Miles Peter (Donna White Peter), William Alexander Peter (Liz Kelly Peter), and Jennifer Lauren Peter Solomon (Mark J. Solomon); and five grandchildren: Josh Gibbons (fiancée Lucy Butler), Kellen Peter (Doug Burney), Zander Peter, Dylan Peter, and Kyler Peter.



A memorial event will be held in the near future at a time and place to be determined.