Obituary of Paul Erwin Tyner

Paul Erwin Tyner, fondly known as “PT” of Glenville, New York passed away on September 22nd after a long battle with cancer.  Paul was 88 years young and had his loving family by his side through his final difficult month. Born in Syracuse on May 29, 1931, Paul grew up in Oswego and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Oswego State Teachers College in 1953. He went on to receive three master’s degrees in physics, chemistry and education through grants from the National Science Foundation. Early in his career Paul taught fifth grade at Cato-Meridian Central School where he met his wife, Elaine (Robitaille) Tyner, a home economics teacher. They were married on December 29, 1956 and had five children. With the exception of a brief teaching job in California, home and his career in education was in New York’s capital district.  From 1962 until his early retirement in 1986, Paul was a popular physics, chemistry and electronics teacher at Schalmont High School.  Following retirement, Paul taught electronics at Schenectady Community College.  He also taught computer science to female inmates, incarcerated at Schenectady County Jail, to provide practical skills for future employment.  Paul’s hobbies included photography, painting, cycling, chess and amateur radio. He was also an amateur botanist for the Saratoga Park Service where he would collect, identify and register its wild flowers. Through the years, Paul and Elaine traveled extensively and enjoyed vacationing with family.  Over the past twenty years they also spent the cold winter months in Stuart, Florida not only for the warmth, but to be close to family and friends. There, Paul was a volunteer for the Florida Oceanographic Society assisting visitors at all the viewing areas. Besides his wife Elaine, Paul is also survived by his daughter and son-in-law Gail Tyner Taylor and Geoffrey Taylor of Pittsford, NY: grandchildren Tyne, Matthew and Michaela; daughter Paula Tyner Doyle of Round Lake, NY: grandchildren Charles the IV, Patrick and Samuel; son Mark Tyner of Berkeley, CA; and son and daughter-in-law Scott and Annemarie Tyner of Stuart, FL: grandchildren Max and Nichole.

He is preceded in death by his son Michael Perry Tyner; son-in-law Charles Doyle the III; his parents Perry and Catherine Tyner; his brother George Tyner and his twin sister Patricia Peters. Paul was a routine blood donor to the American Red Cross and in lieu of flowers; donations may be made to the American Red Cross. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.