Monday, February 23, 2009
Blacksburg councilman dies
Blacksburg Councilman Derek Myers has died, a family member said today.
Myers, 72, died early Monday at Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem where he had been hospitalized since Jan. 19 for a strep infection, his wife, Rhoda Myers, said today. The cause of death is not yet known.
The retired Virginia Tech arts and art history professor was elected to the Blacksburg Town Council in May.
In an interview last spring, Myers said he ran for the council "in response to my neighbors' concerns about town government. I have a desire to try to make things better. I have my fingers crossed that I don't make them worse."
“Derek was a man with a big heart, who served on council for all the right reasons,” Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam wrote in an e-mail today.
“He was devoted to the community’s heritage and quality of life and exemplified Blacksburg’s identity as a special place. We all will miss Derek’s insight, his intelligence and his wonderful sense of humor,” Rordam wrote.
Standing 6 feet, 5 inches, Myers towered over most people but was known for his gentle nature and sense of social justice.
He had a long history of community service, working with the Valley Interfaith Childcare Center, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth and local chapters of NAACP and AARP. He was also a longtime member of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, where he helped with children’s programs and social justice work groups.
A native of Galva, Ill., Myers came to Virginia Tech in 1973 from North Carolina, where he had taught at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College. He was a Tech faculty member until retiring in 2003. Myers served 11 of those years as a department chairman and was later named professor emeritus.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
He is survived by his wife and two adult children. Plans for his replacement on the council have not been announced.
