Peter "Pete" Reed passed away on September 19, 2026, leaving behind a life full of kindness and great memories.

Pete was born in White Plains, New York, on July 1, 1939, to William and Lavinia Reed. He grew up in Syracuse, attending high school there and earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Syracuse University in 1961. Driven by a passion for science and research, Pete went on to earn his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Reed held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the University of Massachusetts Medical School before joining the Vanderbilt Pharmacology department in 1975. Throughout his career, his research was supported by the American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health, and he published 79 papers and abstracts in journals and books including foundational work published in 1972 defining the mechanism of the calcium ionophore, antibiotic A23187. He went on to serve as associate Dean, then acting Dean of the Vanderbilt Graduate School—a role he loved and took great pride in. He retired from Vanderbilt in 2001 after serving graduate students for many years.

Outside the office, Pete was an avid reader and loved swimming throughout his life and was a regular fixture walking the circuit at the local YMCA, always happy to say hello to familiar faces. Pete was also a lifelong car enthusiast. He spent decades collecting detailed model cars of classic American makes, but his true pride and joy was the Chevrolet Corvette. Pete drove several Corvettes over the years and always had a bright red Corvette that he enjoyed driving.

Pete had a soft spot for animals, opening his home and his heart to a number of rescue pets over the years. More than anything, he was thoughtful, generous and Pete was a great note and letter writer. He remembered birthdays, would send along notes to say hi or of things going on in his garden and he had a good sense of humor that always came through in his note. Every day he also enjoyed the word games of the NY Times.

Pete is survived by his brother, Thomas, and sister-in-law, Mary; his sister, Kathleen; and his niece, Lisa, along with good friends and former colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Lavinia, and his sister-in-law, Susan.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bellevue Family YMCA and the ASPCA.