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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

Alumni president dies

Association leader Tardy loses battle with liver cancer

Whenever it came time for an important alumni event, IU Alumni Association President Jerry Tardy would gather Alumni Association employees together and give a speech about making sure the event was done right.\nAlthough John Hobson, senior vice president of the Alumni Association, said Tardy didn't often define "doing it right," Hobson always knew what he meant. Each event had to follow Tardy's example: to make all alumni feel a part of IU, and that the campus -- particularly the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center -- was a second home. \nOn Friday evening, Tardy, 62, died of liver cancer at University Hospital in Indianapolis, leaving the Alumni Center without its biggest supporter and leaving Hobson and other University employees with a considerable legacy to carry on.\n"We'll certainly miss his leadership and guidance," Hobson said. "He sent word to our staff with his wife Laura that he wants our work to go forward and not to cancel or postpone anything because of his illness. I think the staff is completely dedicated to honoring that wish."\nA memorial service for Tardy, director of the Alumni Association since 1987, will be held 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Musical Arts Center. A reception will follow at the Alumni Center, 1000 E. 17th St.\nAs director of the Alumni Association, Tardy coordinated events involving students, staff and alumni living all over the United States and the world. He also served on several University task forces and was former director of the IU Foundation and the IU Varsity Club. \nIn 1978, he helped negotiate a contract with 20th Century Fox movie studios for the reproduction of the Little 500 bicycle race in the movie "Breaking Away." For years, Tardy drove the pace car for the annual bike race. Tardy graduated from IU with a bachelor's of science in physical education in 1962. He went to work for the University in 1968.\n"Jerry was always looking for IU alumni," said IU President Myles Brand in a written statement. "Even in the hospital, he would greet everyone with his famous smile and ask if they had attended IU."\nOne of Tardy's biggest accomplishments was helping to raise the $5.2 million needed to renovate an existing building and create the DeVault Alumni Center, which opened in 1997. Hobson said it was important to Tardy the Alumni Center feel like a home. Patrick Shoulders, outgoing chairman of the IU Alumni Association, the organization's volunteer body, said people often referred to the Alumni Center as the "Taj Ma-Tardy." \n"It wasn't his house but one he put his heart and soul into putting together," said Rich Searles, a friend of Tardy's and former chairman of the Alumni Association.\nDuring his tenure as chairman, Shoulders traveled to alumni events on and off campus with Tardy and was impressed how Tardy easily moved between different organizations and alumni groups.\n"He loved anybody that loved IU," he said.\nJames Morris, president of the IU Board of Trustees, was friends with Tardy for 35 years, dating back to their undergraduate years at IU. Morris described Tardy as a "humble" and "softspoken" man who did his work in a "low-key but effective" way and who probably knew more IU alumni than anyone else. \n"He had time for everybody," Morris said. "He was never in a hurry. He was a classy guy."\nTardy was diagnosed with bladder cancer about 18 months ago. Surgeons removed his bladder and did a procedure to create a new bladder out of a portion of Tardy's large intestine.\nSearles said Tardy was cancer-free until about 19 days ago when he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Tardy knew he was going to die, Searles said, and used his last two weeks to say goodbye to friends and family.\n"He got the chance to kind of close the circle," Searles said. "There's nothing good about cancer; but there is something good about being able to do that. He couldn't have all the visitors he wanted to because he was so sick but the ones he did get to talk to he really enjoyed the opportunity to tell them he loved them and tell them thanks."\nShoulders said Tardy's battle with cancer was symbolic of his entire life and career.\n"He wasn't afraid to take risks to face consequences and to stand up to whatever was thrown his way," Shoulders said.\n

For more information, visit the following sites:

Alumni Association site for funeral arrangements
Article Tardy wrote on his fight with cancer

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