Dr. Leon L. Tyler
April 26, 1869-Jan. 18, 1965
Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 19, 1965, page 1, col. 5-6, cont. page 9, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library
AUTHOR, INDUSTRIALIST
Dr. Leon L. Tyler, Niles Educator, Dies
DR. LEON L. Tyler, 95, of 701 Topinabee Road, educator, author, philanthropist and industrialist, died at 10:30 p.m. Monday at the Dor-A-Lin nursing home here. He had been in failing health for several months.
He was born April 26, 1869, in Austin, Minn., and married Minnie Sturdevant on Thanksgiving Day 1896.
Mrs. Tyler is a patient at Pawating Hospital where she underwent major surgery last Saturday.
Dr. Tyler is survived by his widow; and a son, Robert L. Tyler Sr.; three grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. His other son, Jerry, founder of the the Tyler Sales-Fixture Company, now Tyler Refrigeration Division, Clark Equipment Company, died along with his wife, Mary,and their 11-year-old son, Michael, in the Lasalle Hotel fire in Chicago in 1946.
In 1900, Dr. Tyler earned his law degree from the University of Michigan and six years later he won a bachelor of arts degree from Earlham (Ind.) College. In 1907 he accepted the position of superintendent of the Three Rivers High School. He held the same position at Traverse city and Muskegon Heights.
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FROM 1928 to 1936 he served as professor of education at Alma College. During these years he did graduate study at Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Columbia University, received his master of arts degree from the University of Michigan and was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Michigan.
During his years as an educator in Michigan he played a vital part in developing the state's public school system and the building of new physical plants.
An outstanding civic leader and a devoted Christian layman, he served 14 months overseas during World War I as educational secretary of the YMCA and after the armistice was in charge of the education of 28,000 men.
He served as one of the original Board of Directors of the Tyler Refrigeration Corporation. In 1960 he became director emeritus until the merger between Tyler and Clark.
In 1953 Dr. Tyler and his wife gave to Alma College, the Jerry Tyler Student Center as a memorial to their son and his family. Dr. Tyler succeeded Jerry to the Alma Board of Trustees.
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From 1901 to 1906 Dr. Tyler served as principal of Fairmount (Ind.) Academy, where he served as business manager of "The Academician," and authored many articles for the publication.
In 1956 Earlham College gave Dr. Tyler an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.
He was an elder in the First Presbyterian Church; a lifelong Mason holding the 32nd degree, Scottish Rite and a member of the Shrine.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in the First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends will be received after 7 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer Funeral Home.