Dr. William I. Tyler
1865-March 17, 1927
Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 18, 1927, page 1, col. 8, cont. page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library
DR. W.I. TYLER IS STRICKEN BY HEART ATTACK AT SAN DIEGO
Prominent Niles Physician Dies Suddenly While on Vacation on Coast
SERVED NILES SCHOOLS
Was Prominent Member of Board of Education for Several Years
Dr. William I. Tyler, for many years a prominent Niles physician died last evening at 5:15 in the Maryland hotel in San Diego, Cal. according to word received this morning from Mrs. Tyler by their daughter, Mrs. Lewis Krell.
. . [illegible] last Monday by her mother in which she stated that the doctor's condition showed a pronounced improvement and that she and the doctor would leave San Diego next Wednesday for Niles if his condition continued to show the same improvement. The announcement of his death therefore came as a shock to the relatives and close friends of the family, as well as to many in this community by whom he was beloved as a family physician for many years.
Mrs. Tyler accompanied by Mrs. D.S. Scoffern will leave San Diego, tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock with the body for Niles, and it is expected they will arrive in Niles about noon on Tuesday. Until they reach Niles, or until further word is received from Mrs. Tyler, no plans for the funeral will be made.
Mr. Tyler's death is attributed to cardiac asthma. With Mrs. Tyler he left Niles on January 30 for San Diego. The announcement that they were to go west brought many demands for services upon the doctor before his departure and the trip greatly exhausted him. Upon reaching California, where they were met by Mr. and Mrs. D.S. Scoffern of Niles, a physician was called who admitted Dr. Tyler to a hospital to recuperate and Dr. Tyler, accordingly, spent three weeks in a hospital. He was then able to to the the hotel and apparently had been slowly regaining his health, until yesterday when he was stricken suddenly.
William I. Tyler was about 62 years of age. He was born on a farm near Portland, Mich. He was educated in the schools of Portland, and after teaching in the public schools for several years entered University of Michigan and was graduated from the Homeopathic School of Medicine in 1891. He came to Niles immediately after his graduation and for two years was a partner in the practice of medicine with Dr. A.O. Ullery. He then began to practice for himself independently and had a successful career. Mrs. Tyler, whose maiden name was Zuell Preston, of Wilmington, Del., came to Niles as a bride soon after the doctor was established in his practice, the romance which culminated in their marriage having begun when the were both students at University of Michigan. Two children were born to them, one of whom, Mrs. Arvella Tyler Austin, died in 1918 during the epidemic of influenza. The other daughter, Mrs. Mignonne Tyler Krell survives her father. One brother, Otis Tyler, resides in Portland, Ore.
Dr. Tyler, throughout his residence in Niles was active in many community enterprises and activities. Throughout his residence here he was a faithful member of the First Baptist church and was a trustee of the church at the time of his death. He was true to his convictions. . .[illegible]. .. board of education reveals a record of work well and faithfully performed. He was a member of the Niles Rotary club and was a member of the Berrien County Medical association.
Dr. Tyler had served as member of the Niles board of eduction continuously for 28 years until last January when he resigned in view of the trip which he planned to take to California and was anxious that his place should be filled on the board as he was not a candidate for re-election as a trustee. He was elected a trustee in 1899 succeeding Cyrus B. Groat who had resigned. He served for several years as president of the board, and later was elected treasurer, a position which he filled when he tendered his resignation. When he became a member of the board of education the old central school was standing and he was among the most active of Niles citizens in the effort to secure the new high school building to replace the old central which had become an antiquated building and failed utterly to meet the demands of a growing city. During the years he served on the board he had the satisfaction of seeing several new ward school buildings added to the system and the teaching staff tripled.