Mr. T - Ronold E "Ron" Tusing

In Passing...

Culver's "Mr T" epitomized the best merchant breed

Culver - Statistics.

Statistics will tell you where and when pharmacist Ron Tusing was boron, the name of his family, the church, trade associations and organiszations to which he belonged.

Statistics do not tell you about the man the small town of Culver has lost

Statistics do not convey the essence of the man.

Devoted to his family and friends, Tusing, 59, who died Tuesday, was an energetic, community leader.

Affectionately known as Mr. T, epitomized the best of a nearly extinct breed, the owner of a small town, locally-owned and operated business.

He chose to be a simple shopkeeper, continuing to own and operate Mr. T's Family Pharmacy, here, in a time when most are eager to sell out to a large chain.

Mr. T and his employees greeted customers by name. If a visitor or newcomer walked through the doors of his pharmacy he knew their name before they left. He cared about his family and friends, his customers and his community.

But Mr. T wasn't always known as Mr. T. In 1963, he moved his family from Elkhart to Culver to serve at the pharmacist at the local Rexall drugstore owned by Irvine and Lucille Barnett.

Currently home to the offive of the Culver Citizen, Tusing purchased the business in 1967.

By the mid-seventies, Tusing had the foresight to see that in order to survive and compete with the growing influence of large chain drugstore, the role of the independent pharmacy had to change. Friedly cometitors, Culver's two local pharmacisted determined a plan of action. Tusing and Rob McKinnis formed an alliance mergign their drugstores into one in 1977.

Despite offers and pportunites, Tusing continued to operate and manage Tr.T's as an independet local pharmacy after the death of McKinnis. Mr. T was making plans to celebrate his 35 years of being in business this year.

From the time he moved to Culver, Tusing took his responsibilities as a merchant quite seriously. He was soon known for his community spirit and respected for the leadership skills he displayed through his actinve membership in numerous organizations.

On the local level, Tusing did not join an organization or club unless he planned to be active and contributign member

A former president, this is the first year Tusing was not serving th Culver CHamber of Commerce as an officer or director. As the 1997 membership char, Tusing's committee was responsible for achieving the highest level of membership in the history of chamber

An avid sport fan, Tusing remained loyal to Purdue University. He cheered for th black and gold in good seasons and in bad.

It will take time for the little town of Culver to recover from the loss of one of it's most devoted residents, Ronold E. Tusing. - Plymouth Pilot Jan 15 1998

Ronold E “Mr. T.” Tusing BIRTH 21 Apr 1938 Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana DEATH 13 Jan 1998 South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana BURIAL Culver Masonic Cemetery Culver, Marshall County, Indiana son of Rosco Evard Tusing and Cecel Marie Overleese Tusing

married Kay Neff Children:

Cindy Tusing

Michelle Tusing

Brent Eugene Tusing BIRTH 29 Jul 1960 Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana DEATH 31 Jul 1960 Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana BURIAL Culver Masonic Cemetery Culver, Marshall County, Indiana,

Ryan Tusing

Todd Neff Tusing BIRTH 31 Dec 1969 Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana DEATH 8 Jan 1991 Lawrence County, Illinois BURIAL Culver Masonic Cemetery Culver, Marshall County, Indiana
Body of Culver Youth Found: Drowning Victim

Vincennes, Ind. (AP) The body of Todd Neff Tusing, 21 Culver, a Vincennes Univeristy student missing since Jan 8, was found in a field on the Illinois side of the Wabash River according to police.

He died as the result of a combination of drowning and exposure. They said Sundau that Tusing, 306 N. Main St. Culver, was discovered Saturday afternoon about a half mile north of U. S. 50 bu a Vincennes University student flying an airplane over the area.

The body was recocered by the Lawrence couty Sheriff's Departmen and an autopsy was preformed Saturaday night by Julie Brink, Lawrence couty, Ill., coroner.

The autopsy showed Tusing had been dean seven to eight weeks. The VU sophomore was last seen attending a dance in Green Aufitorium at Vincennes University.

Authorties belied Tusing may have fallen into the Wabash which is adjacent to the auditoriun. At the time he was reported missing, the river was out of its banks.

Tusing was a Dean's List at the school and a member of the track team. A 1989 graduate of Culver Community High School, he was acitive in high school band and art club. He was a member of the soccer and varsity track tems and held the school record for the high jump.

He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Culver

Surviving are his parents ROnold and Kay (Neff) Tusing; two sisters: Mrs. Dan (Cindy) King of Houston; amd Mrs. John (Michelle) Allym of Grand Haven, Michigan; a brother Ryan Tusing, a student at Ball State University Mumcie; two nieces; four nephews; his maternal granmother Grace Neff of Elkhart and his paternal grand parents Evard and Cecel Tusing of Brownsville, Texas.

Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wesley Church. The Rev. Mark Day, pastor will officiate.
Burial will be at Culver Masonic Cemetery

Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m., Tuesday at Bonnie Funeral Home, Culver

The famil requests that memorial contributions be made to the Culver High School Art Department