Dr. Pete A.Y. Gunter, 87, Professor Emeritus and founding chair of UNT’s philosophy department, died March 6 in Dallas. After graduating from the University of Texas in 1958, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Cambridge University in 1960 and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Yale University in 1963. During the 1960s, he taught at Auburn University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and joined Civil Rights marchers in Alabama and Tennessee.

He joined the UNT faculty in 1969 as the first chair of the philosophy department. His work to bridge the gap between philosophy and ecology/environmentalism helped lead to UNT’s graduate programs in environmental philosophy. He also was instrumental in establishing the Big Thicket National Preserve, the nation’s first biological preserve, in Southeast Texas and continued to add to and advocate for it.

Pete was internationally recognized for his scholarship on Henri Bergson and published articles and books about the French philosopher’s work. His last book on Bergson, Getting Bergson Straight, was published in 2023. He also wrote books about the Big Thicket, novels and historical writings, as well as music, including folk songs and classical piano compositions. For the better part of 50 years, he served as chair of the board for the Foundation for the Philosophy of Creativity and its societies. Survivors include his wife, Liz ('85 Ph.D.), and daughter, Sheila ('12 M.A.).

A celebration of his life will be held at 3 p.m. May 25 at UNT’s Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building, Room 110, and will be streamed on Zoom.