Henry Kayongo-Male, 77, was a professor at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD for 29 years.  He taught Mammalian Physiology in the Department of Biology and Microbiology to students in pre-medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy. Henry died on October 12, 2022 in Cumming, GA surrounded by his loving family.

Henry was born in Uganda in 1945, the second oldest of eight children.  He attended St. Henry's College, and later graduated from Makerere University in 1969. He came to the U.S. in 1970 on a USAID graduate fellowship and entered Michigan State University where he met his future wife, Diane, who was doing graduate work in Sociology. They married in 1973. After completing his Master's and Doctoral degrees, he and Diane taught at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, from 1974 to 1984.

In 1985, Henry and his family returned to the U.S. and he and Diane joined the faculty of SDSU.  In 1994, Henry wrote the first edition of a lab manual for his Physiology course. This manual was published in four editions until 2014 when he retired. All the proceeds from the sale of the manual were used to fund two scholarships in Biology and Sociology. Henry was awarded the F.O. Butler Excellence in Teaching Award in 1994.

In 2017, Henry established a nonprofit organization aimed at funding the construction of a community library in his hometown of Masaka, Uganda. Towards that goal, he wrote and published four children's books.  He maintained close contact with his many nieces and nephews in Uganda providing encouragement, advice, and support.

Henry was guided by a quote from Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail (1963): "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Henry demonstrated courage and tenacity in the face of many challenges, traits which made him a role model to his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and students.

Whenever he or his wife had medical procedures in South Dakota and in neighboring states, they would encounter former students of his who were now working in a professional capacity. These former students would then tell their stories of his 7 a.m. MammPhys class, and there was always plenty of laughter and much appreciation for having had Henry as their professor.

He coached his children in tennis when they were young, loved playing tennis, and really relished the friendship of his tennis buddies with whom he always played at the Hillcrest Courts in Brookings until the ice and cold pushed them indoors. Over the harsh winters, he played tennis in the University Wellness Center with his close friend, Joe Schumacher.

Henry is survived by his wife; a sister, Immy, and brother, Ben; his children, Jimmy, Jessica, Eva, Jennifer, and Melissa; his grandchildren, Summer, Carys, Gael, Rafael, Mia, and Joaquin; and nephews and nieces in Uganda.

Since Henry and Diane were out of state for Henry to get medical treatment and stroke rehabilitation services, there are no plans to have a memorial service in Brookings at this time. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family and remembered as a wise, thoughtful man who kept his integrity, composure, and warm sense of humor no matter what adversity he faced to the very end.