Foxford native was renowned academic in US

Dr Michael Joseph Deasy, B.D.S., D.M.D, M.D.S., M.S., of New Jersey and Foxford passed away unexpectedly in Dublin on July 21st last. 

Dr Deasy was known as 'Mícheál' to his family, pronounced as Gaeilge. He was 'Mick' to his close friends from his student days at University College Dublin, and after emigrating to the United States, he was called 'Mike' by colleagues. But he was always Mícheál to his wife, the former Mary Olivia Gallagher of Straide.

At the time of his passing, Dr Deasy had been travelling to the United States after spending a month’s holiday with his wife and eldest daughter, Maria, at his home in County Mayo. Over the past five years, they had lovingly restored the original Deasy family home in the town of Foxford, the very home where he had been born in 1930.

In County Mayo, Dr Deasy attended primary school in Cloongee and Foxford, and secondary school at St Nathy's College, Ballaghadereen. Before pursuing a career as a periodontist, Dr Deasy completed the teacher training programme with honours at St Patrick's College in Drumcondra, Dublin and studied English literature at the University of Galway. He returned home to teach in tandem with his elder sister Maura at a one-room schoolhouse in the village of Attymachugh, she with Senior Infants and he with the older children. 

After several years, he decided to pursue a career in dentistry and he was awarded his B.D.S. with Honours in Pathology and Pharmacology from University College Dublin in 1964. He was one of 12 graduating students of the 24 originally admitted to the programme. He went into private practice in Chelmsford, England for a year before being awarded a fellowship in dental research at the Eastman Dental Center, University of Rochester, in Rochester, New York, USA.

Before his retirement in 2011, Dr Deasy had been a faculty member at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - now the School of Dentistry, Rutgers University, New Jersey - serving as a professor for 40 years, and as Chairman of the Department of Periodontics and Director of the Periodontal Postgraduate Program for 37 years. 

A highly respected dentist, he presided over the Department of Periodontics with great success, retaining talented faculty members through his excellent leadership, mentoring and scientific scholarship. As author or co-author of over 100 scientific publications, several with a focus on periodontal disease, he lectured extensively throughout the world at universities and dental associations in the United States and in Brazil, Chile, China, India, Ireland, Taiwan, and Venezuela. He returned several times to Ireland, making presentations at Trinity College, UCD, and Cork University. He was a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the International Association for Dental Research, and the New Jersey Society of Periodontics. The recipient of several awards, including the Balint Orban Memorial Award In Recognition of Excellence in Periodontal Research, Dr Deasy held multiple honorary chairs. He also served as a member of the Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners for many years.

Dr Deasy was the middle child of six children born to Martin and Mary Deasy, née Brogan, originally from the villages of Cullen and Muckroe, near Foxford. Mr Deasy owned a shoe shop in the town of Foxford. Though long closed, the shop’s iconic sign 'Mac Deise' in traditional Irish lettering ('son of Deasy') remains on the Main Street.

Dr Deasy married the former Mary Olivia Gallagher at the University Church at St Stephen’s Green in Dublin in 1965. Having courted throughout the dance halls of Enniscrone, Pontoon, Rosses Point, Bundoran, and the UCD faculty dances, together they decided to move to Rochester, New York, where he completed his specialty in periodontics. Their eldest children, Maria and Martin, were born in Rochester; their youngest, Nannette, was born in Brooklyn and the family lived for a time in Belle Harbor, New York. 

Following Dr Deasy’s appointment to the faculty of what was then the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the family moved to Union City, and later settled in Chatham Township where they lived for nearly 50 years. There, Dr Deasy was active in his Catholic faith, teaching Sunday School at his local parish, Corpus Christi Church.

Dr Deasy’s great love of Ireland never abated and he brought his family home throughout their childhood, instilling in them a deep understanding of Irish culture and history. It was also there that he renewed his love for salmon fishing on the River Moy. Throughout his eighties and nineties, he made the transatlantic trip nearly every year to reunite with family. Dr and Mrs Deasy celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary upon arriving in Ireland in June. The evening before his passing, the couple had been out to dinner with their closest friends from UCD and Foxford.

Dr Deasy is survived by his cherished wife Mary, his children Ms. Maria Deasy of New York; Dr Martin Deasy of San Francisco, CA; Ms. Nannette Deasy Baumgardner of New York and his son-in-law, Robert Baumgardner of New York, as well as his sisters-in-law Fay Deasy of Maldon, England and Mary Deasy of Dun Laoghaire, and his many cousins, nieces, and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Foxford Riverfest at www.idonate.ie.