Prof. dies after surgery

by SARAH HEREFORD
reporter

Shock and sadness fell upon the College of Information Technology and Engineering (CITE) yesterday morning after learning about the death of John A. Singley, professor of occupational safety and health. Singley, 71, was admitted to St. Mary's Medical Center Monday, March 1, after complaints of chest pains and shortness of breath. A heart attack was follower up by bypass surgery the following Friday. Heart complication are named at the cause of death Monday morning, March 8, at St. Mary's

Singley started at Marshall as an adjunct professor in 1987 and became a full-time faculty member in August 1994. Murray Tate, adjunct professor in the CITE, said Singley did more than his share of teaching.

"To be considered full-time faculty you must teach at least nine hours," Tate said. "Singley was teaching 18 hours this semester."

Tate received his master's degree from the CITE in June 2002 and had Singley for several classes.

"He was one of the best professors I've had," Tate said. "I considered him more of a mentor than a professor. He was tough, but you came out of his classes definitely having learned something. That was his goal."

Singley received his bachelor's in biology from Lehigh University and his master's and doctoral degrees in biology from Wayne State University. Before coming to Marshall, he worked as a Safety and Industrial Hygiene Manager for BASF, Corp. in Huntington. He was on the Board of Directors for the World Safety Organization, and a member of several other professional organizations.

At Marshall, Singley was a member of the Faculty Senate Athletic Committee, as well as advisor for the student chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers.

"Dr. Singley was a person who always stood up for the health of athletes," said Kathleen Miezio, safety program professor. "He cared about individual athletes health and safety. He worried that they were being worked too hard."

Miezio said that Singley had a strong love for teaching and working with students.

"He was such a dynamic guy," Miezio said. "He always volunteered to do anything to help a student."

Singley enjoyed fishing, gun smithing and being active in Boy Scouts with his sons. Carol Henson, secretary in the CITE, said he also loved working with high school students.

"He has been a judge in the Fairland High School Science Fair every year since I've been here," Henson said. "He really enjoyed working with students of all ages."

Allan Stern, safety program professor, said the college is trying to find replacements to cover Singley's classes for the rest of the semester and next fall.

"We are shocked and saddened," Stern said. "Courses and programs will carry on and we will do what has to be done to take care of our students."

Tate has already taken over two of Singley's courses.

Henson said funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced through the college's listserv once they are determined.