School of Pharmacy loses former dean

By Laura Pelner
Campus Editor

Wednesday was a sad day in the world of pharmacy, at least according to the dean of Purdue's School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences.

Dean Charles Rutledge said the field and Purdue lost someone very special.

Varro Tyler, former dean of the School of Pharmacy and executive vice president for academic affairs, died early Wednesday morning at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Lafayette. Tyler was 74 years old.

Rutledge knew Tyler well and said his death was very sudden. "I think his passing was quite a shock to everybody," he said.

Tyler had just returned from a trip to Austria and had spoken with a friend on the phone Tuesday night, said Rutledge.

"(Wednesday) morning he got up, was going about his activities, and all of a sudden he had this, whatever it was, I'm not sure anyone knows," he said. "He was sitting at his desk and his wife couldn't rouse him. It's a big shock."

Former Purdue president Steven Beering, who worked with Tyler frequently in administration, said Tyler had a bout with several serious illnesses.

"He was taken before his time," he said. "We shall really miss him."

Tyler was internationally recognized for his scientific work with herbal medicine. "He's the leading authority on the chemical composition of drugs found in herbal and neutriceutical mixtures," Rutledge said.

Because of his notoriety, Beering said his death would be felt on an international level in the scientific community.

Throughout his life, Tyler published more than 300 papers and 26 books, appeared on the Today Show and Phil Donahue several times and had a spread about his work printed in USA Today, said Rutledge.

"His accomplishments are just absolutely unique," he said.

In addition to these professional accomplishments, Tyler was a good coworker. Robert Ringel, former executive vice president for academic affairs, said he was fun to be around.

"He was an extraordinarily gifted colleague," Ringel said. "He had excellent intellectual and research accomplishments, and in addition to that he was a very gifted administrator. That really is an unbeatable combination."

Outside the University Tyler was an active person. Rutledge said he was "a world authority" on stamp collecting and was very involved in the local community and Rotary Club. Tyler served as president of Lafayette Home Hospital, chairman of the board of North Central Health Services Inc. and director of the Greater Lafayette Community Foundation.

According to Rutledge, Tyler's hero was William Jennings Bryan and both he and Ringel said Tyler was a talented public speaker.

"(Tyler) had one of the best deliveries in voice for giving a speech, and also, his speeches were extremely well done, well organized," Rutledge said.

Tyler joined Purdue pharmacy as dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Sciences in 1966 and was promoted to dean of the School of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences in 1979.

He served there until 1986, when he was named executive vice president for academic affairs.

As executive vice president, Tyler served in the position during a time when Purdue's administration was criticized for being too bloated and not faculty-issue friendly. Therefore, Tyler met with faculty members many times.

John Connor, professor of agricultural economics, said he and Tyler met monthly and that he was always a gentleman.

"He certainly represented the views of the administration of the University quite well during that period," Connor said.

He added, though, that Tyler was always accessible to Purdue faculty. "I must say he always seemed willing to have dialogue on issues of interest to professors here at the University," he said.

Tyler left the executive vice president position in 1991 to return to the School of Pharmacy as the Lilly Distinguished Professor of Pharmacognosy. He retired from Purdue in December 1996.

"He was a very rare individual," said Ringel. "The University does not have many people with his talent and abilities. He was very decent, very nice."

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

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