Kelley professor Thomas Battle dies at 66

Thomas Battle, an adjunct professor of finance in the Kelley School of Business, died suddenly Monday at age 66.

Battle collapsed during his 8 a.m. class. After responders tried to revive him at the scene, he was transported from Kelley to IU Bloomington Health hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The cause of death is not known at this time.

“It’s just a terribly sad thing,” said Mark Land, associate vice president for university communications. “He taught at the Kelley School for quite a while, and he was an expert in real estate education.”

Idalene Kesner, interim dean of the Kelley School of Business, said Battle had taught as an adjunct professor at IU since 1983.

“Our school was notified quickly because our assistant dean was in the room and another faculty member was in the room,” Kesner said.

She said Doug McCoy, another professor in the Department of Finance, will be taking over Battle’s classes, including his F300: Introduction to Financial Management class.

She also said Counseling and Psychological Services counselors will be available to students during their class period Wednesday morning.

“Our thoughts go out to his family and to his students,” Land said.

— Hannah Smith