Peter Reid, 41, a teacher whose perseverance inspired others

Peter F. Reid, a history teacher at St. Joseph's Preparatory School, had been married for only a few years in 2005 when he got an unexpected, life-changing diagnosis: leukemia.

Doctors tried for months to keep it in remission long enough to attempt a stem-cell transplant, but failed. Still, Mr. Reid never wavered about wanting to fight and be alive, his friends said. In May 2006, he told the doctors to go ahead with the high-risk operation anyway.

It was a success.  Mr. Reid returned to the classroom. And he and his wife, Jennifer, realized their dream of starting a family by adopting a newborn son.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, Mr. Reid, 41, of Glenside, died at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania of pancreatic cancer. His colleagues and friends considered him an inspiration for his strength and perseverance.

"He really shouldn't have been alive," said Sam Deitch, a friend and fellow teacher at the Prep. "He should have died in 2005. His life was a miracle, and he knew it was a miracle."

Mr. Reid was born in Somerville, N.J., and attended Immaculata High School there. He earned an undergraduate degree in history from St. Joseph's University, where he met his wife. They married in 2002.

After spending a year after graduation working with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Milwaukee, Mr. Reid followed in his mother's footsteps to become a history teacher.

He taught at Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown for four years before starting at the Prep in 2003. While there, he started a history club. He earned a master's degree in education from St. Joseph's.

In June 2014, Mr. Reid and his wife adopted son Peter Joseph, known as "PJ."

Friends described Mr. Reid as a simple, gentle, and sweet man who lived to serve others and was not afraid to share his feelings.

He cared deeply about his students, liked to cook, and loved talking about American history and taking his wife to visit Civil War battlefields. Pete was a retreat leader and a service immersion trip chaperone, and was involved in service until his health made it difficult.

"He had a lot of goodness in him and it was contagious," said Deitch, who met Mr. Reid when they were college sophomores. "I think people were better for being around him."

Mr. Reid also had a goofy side, Deitch said. He liked the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy.

Mr. Reid worked at the Prep until last summer. In November, he received the pancreatic cancer diagnosis. It then spread to his liver.

In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Reid is survived by his mother, Kathleen Kenney Reid; two brothers; a sister; and many nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be Friday. March 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Luke the Evangelist Church, 2316 Fairhill Ave., Glenside. A Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 4, at the church, with interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham.

Donations can be made to the support fund for the Reid family at youcaring.com/petereid.