CHAPEL HILL -- Dr. Ernest Craige, who was the first chief of cardiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, died Jan. 24 at the age of 89.

Craige had an enormous impact on the field of cardiology at the UNC School of Medicine and nationwide, said Dr. Cam Patterson, UNC's current chief of cardiology.

"Ernie Craige was one of the first academic cardiologists in the United States," Patterson said. "Many of the aspects of the physical exam that we take for granted today are the result of discoveries and refinements by Dr. Craige."

Born in El Paso, Texas, in 1918, Craige earned a bachelor of arts degree at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1939 and then earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in 1943. From 1944 to 1946 he served in Europe with the U.S. Army and then resumed his medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital.

After completing his residency and fellowship training, Craige joined the UNC School of Medicine faculty in 1952 as an assistant professor. He was also named the first chief of cardiology at North Carolina Memorial Hospital, which opened that year on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. He stepped down as chief of cardiology in 1978 but remained a professor in the School of Medicine for many years after that.

Craige is survived by Hazel, his wife of 61 years, their four children, Ernest Jr. "Tito" Craige, Burton Craige, Sarah Craige and Paula Craige, and five grandchildren, Mariah Rose Craige Hoffman, Marco Belin Craige, Antonia Sommer Craige, Elsa Dora Craige Hoffman, and Lucia Maribel Torres Craige.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Cedars of Chapel Hill at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9. Donations may be made in the name of Dr. Ernest Craige to UNC Cardiology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7075, Chapel Hill, N.C., 27599, attention of Linda Raftery.