Michael Chrispoher Pyryt

Pyryt, Dr. Michael Christopher,54, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada on January 15, 2008. Beloved son of the late Edward Joseph & Frances (Loughren) Pyryt. Beloved husband of Leta Gonzales-Pyryt. Dear father to Tara & her husband Christopher Gales. Grandfather to Brooke. Brother to Dorothy Pyryt of Fair Lawn. Mr. Pyryt was born in Passaic and lived the 18 last years in Canada. He was a graduate of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey. He obtained his B.A. in Psychology in 1975 & his Ed.M in Gifted Education in 1976 from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his doctorate in Educational Psychology in 1984 at the University of Kansas. His academic career focused on gifted education. He was a tenured professor at the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies, a tenured professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Calgary, and from 1995 an associate professor in the Division of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary. In 2000 he became the director of the Centre for Gifted Education at the University and was responsible for expanding the profile of gifted children locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. He published extensively in his field, held numerous professional memberships, and was involved in innumerable research projects. A devout catholic, Michael was a former runner and in addition a life-long fan of the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays Lacrosse team, the University of Kansas Jayhawks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. He loved the many dogs and cats he had over the years and his signature slide at the end of presentations pictured his dog, FuFu, and read My goal in life is to be a person as good as my dog already thinks I am. . He was that and more, and will be dearly missed by family, friends, colleagues and students. A Memorial mass will be held on Saturday Feb. 2 - 12 noon at St. Anne RC Church Fair Lawn. Arrangement by Marrocco Memorial Chapel 470 Colfax Avenue Clifton, NJ In lieu of flowers memorial contributions to the "Dr. Michael C. Pyryt Memorial Fund - Centre for Gifted Education". Please send them to The Development Office c/o Kathy Bhana, 6 Floor Craigie Hall, University of Calgary 2500 University Drive N.W. Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 would be appreciated.


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