Donald Tyrrell, Ph. D., 89, son of the late Brennis G. and Clara Jacobsen Tyrrell of Bloomfield, Connecticut died February 24, 2024, at Landis Homes Retirement Community. Donald was born in Connecticut and graduated from Bloomfield High School. After serving in the U.S. Army, he attended the University of Connecticut and earned his BA, MA, and Ph.D. in Experimental Child Psychology.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Marilyn "Mickey" Manion Tyrrell. Don is survived by three sons: Kenneth of Bainbridge Island, WA, husband of Jenine Bogrand, Robert of Lancaster, husband of Kimberly Smeltz, and Richard of Seneca SC, husband of Aimee Heathershaw and one granddaughter, Paige Tyrrell of Madrid, Spain.

After teaching at Oklahoma State University for two years he joined the faculty of Franklin and Marshall College in 1967, retiring in 1996. While on the faculty he was awarded the Lindback Award for distinguished teaching, he served as the Chair of the Psychology Department and served on several College committees including a Trustees Committee on Faculty Compensation. He also served as President of F&M's chapter of the AAUP. In addition to teaching, he conducted research into the cognitive development of infants and children and published the results of this research in scientific journals and in presentations at scholarly conferences.

He was active in the community serving on the board the ARC and was its president for two terms. He also served on the board of Directors of the Embreeville State School and Hospital in Embreeville, PA. He was on a committee of the Lancaster school district.

After his retirement he taught First Aid and CPR for the American Red Cross and spent many years delivering meals for the Millersville Area Meals-on-Wheels. Most recently he volunteered as a shuttle driver at Landis Homes retirement community where he resided.

He and his wife were avid white-water canoeists and, as members of the Lancaster Canoe Club, led many Club trips including raft trips on the Youghiogheny River in southwestern PA. He and his wife spent a memorable week canoeing the Salmon River (known as the River of No Return by Lewis and Clark) in Idaho. He was a certified canoe instructor for the American Canoe Association and taught canoe courses in both flat- and white-water canoeing.

Early in their married life he and the family spent most summers camping. First, they had a well-worn nine-man army squad tent but later moved up to a soft-top camping trailer with which they traveled the country. They spent at least one week on Assateague Island in Maryland every September.

More recently they enjoyed cruising and took many cruises to various islands in the Caribbean. One favorite cruise was spending 12 days traveling from London through the Baltic Sea to St. Petersburg ending in Copenhagen where they spent several days touring Denmark.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Caring Fund at Landis Homes, 1001 E. Oregon Road in Lititz, PA 17543. Landis Homes Caring Fund