Individual

Go to List of Family Names Go to List of People    < Previous Next >

Birth:          30 Sep 1927 Kalamazoo, Mich.
Death:          15 Mar 2005 Kalamazoo, Mich.

Notes
!PUBL
Mich Marr Rec on ancestry
US Soc Sec Apps and Claims on ancestry
James C. Tyler: Community leader gave generously 
dperson@kalamazoogazette.com388-8555 
 Although James C. Tyler's dedication to his community was well-known, many of the 
contributions he made came without fanfare. 

 "He was one of these silent givers," said longtime acquaintance Jack Moss. "He did 
many, many good things for many people that didn't get a lot of notoriety, and he 
didn't seek it." 

Tyler, former owner and chairman of the board of Tyler Supply Co. and Borroughs 
Corp. who with his family underwrote the Challenger Learning Center at the Kalamazoo 
Valley Museum, died Tuesday at his residence at the age of 77. 

 He had been fighting diabetes and hypertension, which left him homebound for the 
past five years but he did not let his physical limitations get him down. 

"There was never, ever a complaint that I ever heard," said friend Harold Hanselman, 
who visited Tyler on a regular basis. 

In the 1950s, Tyler was involved with the Jaycees and its many community projects; 
he also worked on behalf of the Community Chest and its successor, the Greater 
Kalamazoo United Way. But he didn't stop there. 

"He was always supporting a Little League or bowling teams for kids," said his wife, 
Mary Tyler. "He did an awful lot of that." 

The Tylers, who were married for 52 years, also backed local organizations such as 
the Kalamazoo Nature Center and Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, and in 1992 donated 
$500,000 to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum for development of the Challenger 
Learning Center. 

While the Tylers established the Challenger center in memory of Mary Tyler's parents, 
Alvin and Emily Little, who had a fascination with flight and space exploration, the 
simulated shuttle flight held special meaning for James Tyler. 

"He loved the Challenger and what it offered to kids," Mary Tyler said. 

James Tyler, who was born in Kalamazoo on Sept. 30, 1927, and graduated from 
Kalamazoo Central High School in 1946, served in the Marines for two years out of 
high school, then attended Kalamazoo College and Iowa Wesleyan College before 
marrying Mary Little in 1952 and getting involved in business locally with his cousin 
John Kollig. 

Tyler and Kollig launched Metal Product Sales, an industrial material handling and 
supply company in 1953; it later became Tyler Supply Co. after Tyler bought out 
Kollig's interest. One of the product lines handled by Tyler Supply came from 
Borroughs Corp. in Kalamazoo, and in 1991, when Borroughs' parent company Lear 
Siegler Holding Corp. put it up for sale, the Tyler family bought it. 

"Jim and Tim (the Tylers' son) knew that if Lear Siegler sold off that Borroughs 
operation (to someone else) that it would disappear from Kalamazoo and it was very 
important to Jim to keep that company local and going," Mary Tyler said. 

Timothy Tyler is now chief executive officer of Borroughs and also oversees the 
operations of Tyler Supply, she said. 

In recent years, Tyler appreciated the dedication of his caregivers, Calvin Williams Sr. 
and Arnold LaBarre Sr., who looked after him 18 hours a day, Mary Tyler said. 

Tyler's survivors, in addition to his wife, are their children and spouses, Timothy and 
Ruth Tyler Sarah and Alan Chase, Toni Lyn Tyler, and Steven and Kristen Tyler, all of 
Kalamazoo; two grandchildren; nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and 
cousins. 

He was preceded in death by his brother, David, in 2003. 

A memorial service was scheduled for 3 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church 321 
W. South St. 

Arrangements were made by the Langeland Family Funeral Homes Memorial Chapel. 
 
Kalamazoo Gazette (MI) - Friday, March 18, 2005 
TYLER, Mr. James C. 

 Kalamazoo, MI 

 Died Tuesday evening March 15, 2005 at his residence. Jim was born on September 
30, 1927 in Kalamazoo, the first son of Harold Ansel Tyler and Helen Caldwell Tyler. 
He was descended from families who came to the American Colonies in 1640 and he 
represented the 5th (fifth) generation of his family in the state of Michigan. Jim died 
peacefully at home on March 15, 2005. He has staged a courageous and mighty battle 
against the physical ravages of diabetes and hypertension for the past ten years with 
the grace and acceptance of his disabilities without complaints. Jim lived his entire life 
in Kalamazoo attending the Kalamazoo Public Schools and graduating from Kalamazoo 
Central High School in January 1946. He immediately enlisted in the United States 
Marine Corps and following boot camp at Paris Island he served at Barbers Point, 
Oahu, Hawaii, until honorably discharged in December 1947. He attended Kalamazoo 
College and Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. On October 18, 1952 he 
married Mary Barnes Little in Kalamazoo. In 1953 he established, in partnership, Metal 
Product Sales, and industrial material handling and supply company. This later became 
known as Tyler Supply Company. In 1991 he and his family purchased Borroughs 
Manufacturing Co. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and the 
participant in many facets of the community. Survivors are his wife Mary and their 
children: 2 daughters and 2 sons. Timothy James Tyler and Ruth Gust Tyler, Sarah 
Mary and Alan B. Chase, Toni Lyn Tyler, and Steven Little and his wife Kristen 
Reinhold Tyler, his 2 grandchildren, Robert James Tyler and Julie Elizabeth Tyler. 
Other survivors are his nieces, Amy Tyler Davis of Colorado and Virginia S. Little, 
Kalamazoo his nephews, John Bramer Tyler and Matthew James Tyler, both of 
Colorado. Several grand nephew and a grand niece, his cousins, Betty Tyler Gilcrist, 
and Natalie Tyler Collig, both of Kalamazoo, his brother-in-law, William Tedrow little 
and his wife, Frances. He is also survived by many other cousins, by caregivers, and 
extraordinarily devoted employees at both companies, some for many years. He was 
preceded in death by his brother David Justin Tyler in 2003. The Family suggests that 
memorials be made to a local charity of your choice or to the Kalamazoo Community 
Foundation. A memorial service will be held 3 o'clock Friday at the First Presbyterian 
Church 321 W. South St. with the Rev. Dr. David VanArsdale officiating. There will be 
no visitation. Private graveside services will be Yorkville Cemetery. Memorials may be 
directed to a local charity of choice or the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. 
Arrangements were made by the L angeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 
622 S. Burdick St. 
Kalamazoo Gazette (MI) - Thursday, March 17, 2005 
pub rec on ancestry 1734 Embury Rd., Kalamazoo, Mich.

Parents
TYLER Harold Ansel ()
CALDWELL Helen ()

Siblings
TYLER James Caldwell (30 Sep 1927 - 15 Mar 2005)

Marriage To LITTLE Mary Barnes ()

Notes

Parents
LITTLE Alvin Henry (24 Oct 1903 - Nov 1982)
TEDROW Emily B. (9 Jul 1900 - 26 Jul 1977)

Children by LITTLE Mary Barnes
TYLER Timothy James ()
TYLER Sarah Mary ()
TYLER Toni Lyn ()
TYLER Steven Little ()

Produced by Fzip 1.7 2/10/2021