Newspaper Article 1995 – Surgeon Jim Tyler dies at 79

Surgeon Jim Tyler dies at 79

One of Hastings’ most notable medical personalities of the past 50 years, James Mackenzie Tyler, died on Friday after a long illness. He was 79.

Jim Tyler ran a general practice in Hastings for 37 years – from 1948 until 1985 – and was a surgeon at the Hastings hospital for 32 years, 20 as senior surgeon.

Born in Auckland, Mr Tyler was educated at Auckland Grammar and Otago Medical School, graduating in 1938 MB, ChB. He trained at the Auckland hospital until 1940 when he went overseas with the Second NZEF as regimental medical officer with the Fifth Field Regiment.

Mr Tyler served in Greece and was left behind when the country was evacuated, escaping back to Egypt in a fishing smack to rejoin his regiment.

He was captured at Sidi Azziz in 1941, but escaped a week later with the help of members of the Divisional Cavalry.

He was posted to the Fifth Field Ambulance and, with the rank of major, ran an ambulance station behind Fifth Brigade from El Alamein to Tunis at the end of the desert campaign.

Mr Tyler was mentioned in dispatches for his work during this period.

After the war, he undertook post-graduate surgical training in London and was made a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1947, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, England.

Mr Tyler set up practice in Hastings on his return to New Zealand. He was appointed to the Hastings hospital as a surgeon, beginning a period of distinguished service during which the hospital’s surgical standards were recognised as among the country’s best.

He was instrumental in having the Australasian College of Surgeons recognise the hospital as a training centre, with surgical trainees being allowed to spend a year of their training in there.

As well as running a general practice and tending to his surgery commitments at both the Hastings and Royston hospitals, Mr Tyler found time for community service.

He received the Efficiency Decoration from the Army for his voluntary services in the 1950s to the Hawke’s Bay Territorial Regiment as medical officer, a role which involved him attending the annual camps.

Mr Tyler will also be remembered for his years of service to the Cancer Society of New Zealand, being instrumental in forming a Hawke’s Bay branch in 1962 and serving as Hawke’s Bay centre president for three years as well as many years on the society’s committee.

Mr Tyler was president of the national council of the cancer society and was awarded life membership of both the Hawke’s Bay centre and the society’s national body.

At the time of his death, he was still patron of the Hawke’s Bay centre of the society.

Centre president John Kelly today paid tribute to the contribution Mr Tyler had made to the society in Hawke’s Bay and nationally. “ He was a tireless worker, even during his illness.”

Mr Tyler is survived by his wife, Betty, daughters Pam and Diana, and son Jay.

Photo caption – Mr Tyler