Former Vice President Lyle Nelson dies

September 11, 1997
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Former Vice President Lyle Nelson dies

ANN ARBOR—Lyle M. Nelson, former vice president for university relations at the University of Michigan, died of heart failure on Sept. 5 in Stanford, Calif. He was 79.

He left the U-M in l961 to join Stanford University as director of university relations. He created the John S. Knight fellowship for professional journalists at Stanford and served as its director in 1969-85. He also was the Thomas M. Storke Distinguished Professor of Communication and head of the communication department there.

He was well known as both a professor of journalism and an expert on the uses of television for educational purposes.

He came to Ann Arbor in 1953 as assistant to the president and general secretary of the corporation of the Educational Television and Radio Center, which evolved into the Public Broadcasting Service.

In 1957 he assumed the position as director of university relations at the U-M and became vice president for university relations in 1960.

Nelson was born Feb. 28, 19l8, in Yamhill, Ore., and graduated from the University of Oregon.

Memorial services are pending. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lyle and Corrine Nelson International Journalism Fellowship in the Knight Journalism Program at Stanford.

(A-12)


U-M News and Information Services University of Michigan

U-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan