D. Joseph Demis, Phd Md

New Scotland - D. Joseph Demis, PhD, MD., entered into eternal life on Saturday March 8, 2008. He was born in New York City and was the son of the late Mary T. and Joseph R. Demis.
He attendee public schools and completed Stuyvesant High School in two years. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Union College, he won A.E.C. fellowship and received a PhD in bio-chemical pharmacology from the University of Rochester. He received his MD from Yale and interned in Seattle. He received his Dermatology training at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He took a fellowship at Oxford, England in biochemistry. Ironically, he elucidated the bio-synthetic pathway of adrenaline in mammalian tissue and suggested dopamine as key to the reaction. He did extensive studies of mast cells and defined a clinical entity, which were lauded by major journals in the US and Europe.
He did the pioneering studies demonstrating the effectiveness of anti-metabolites in non-malignant conditions including psoriasis and similar conditions. He had a long standing interest in tropical diseases, in particular Pinta. The Army loaned him to the Public Health Service. Traveling by dugout canoes in the Amazon Valley and working with the Bolivian Government, the Pinta problem was successfully eradicated. He was promoted to Major and received the Army's commendation medal for his work. He led an evaluation of Army research in Washington DC and identified swampy terrain in Central America for conditions similar to Vietnam, to develop prevention and treatment of skin diseases for the Surgeon General. His interests in Pinta lead to studies on kindred diseases, particular Yaws and Benjel in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
When he was appointed to Professor and Chairman of Dermatology at Washington University in St. Louis, he was the youngest chairman of a major Dermatology Department. Dr. Demis was subsequently the recipient of the Rockefeller Foundation Endowed chair. He came to Albany Medical College as a Professor and Chairman under am attractive agreement. During this time he was able to pursue his goal of writing a needed encyclopedic text: Clinical Dermatology. This proved overly ambitious but with three collaborators and despite its size and cost, it was an immediate hit and went through 29 revisions. Over the years, it was expanded to 4 volumes, 4500 pages with hundreds of photos and some 500 contributors. Even with all of his obligations, he was able to maintain a small private practice. He was a private man who was an avid fisherman, outdoorsman and sportsman.
He is survived by his adoptive mother, Anna Gregoire, his brother William (Jody) Gregoire and his sister Linda (Steven) Tyrrell all formerly of North Hudson; his children, Nancy Demis (Bruce Turetsky) of Pennsylvania, William Demis (Mary Nelis) of Texas, John Demis (Bernadette) of Knox, Amy Demis of Rochester, Robert Demis of Colorado, Kevin Demis of Ohio, Geoffrey Demis of New Scotland and Elizabeth Demis of Bethlehem, NY. He is also survived by many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his loving and devoted wife, Dolores Demis, who made every day special. A sister Geraldine predeceased him.
With sincere appreciation and gratitude to Sheila McGee RN of Home Hospice Care, he always looked forward to her bright smile.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass on Saturday March, 15, 2008 at Holy Spirit Church, East Greenbush at 10:00am. There will be no calling hours. At the request of the family and in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Holy Spirit Church, 667 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, NY 12061. To leave a special message for the family online, visit NewcomerFamily.com