Senior physical education major dies in car accident

John Tyler Stufflebeam, 21, a senior physical education major at Slippery Rock University, was killed in a car accident at the intersection of Branchton Road and Route 8 early Saturday morning.

According to the public information release report from the Pennsylvania State Police, the car Stufflebeam was riding in, a 2001 Ford Escape, was traveling west on Branchton road when the driver, junior physical education major Hollie Carlson, 20, proceeded through the intersection and collided with a tractor trailer that was going north on Route 8 around 2:35 a.m.

The Ford Escape spun clockwise from the impact and the rear of the vehicle hit the side of the tractor trailer. Stufflebeam was ejected through the rear window. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the report, the other four passengers were Kyle Kosa, 22, Michael Evangelista, 21, Brandon Maharaj, 21, and Sarah Ecker, 20, all SRU students.

The group had left a party and Carlson hadn't had anything to drink, so she volunteered to drive.

Stufflebeam was the Green and White Society's vice president of alumni relations.

According to Brad Kovaleski, one of the advisers for Green and White, Stufflebeam was just elected to fill the position last spring.

Kovaleski said Stufflebeam was one of the most organized and focused members, and he truly cared about everyone around him.

"If you have that friend who you know would just light up the room and would make you feel better, have that positive energy radiating, that was Ty," Kovaleski said. "You know he was raised very well."

Stufflebeam was also a member of the Physical Education Club and Phi Epsilon Kappa, the physical education honorary, according to his adviser, Dr. Istvan Kovacs.

"As I knew him, he was one of my favorite students," Kovacs said. "He would've been a great teacher. He was always one of the best at practicing and executing."

Those closest to Stufflebeam remember him as vibrant, carefree and spontaneous.

Kosa, a senior health and physical education major, told a story from his freshman year with Stufflebeam.

"We played a lot of pranks on each other and me and Tyler played a prank on [Austin Hawk, 21, senior elementary education major and president of the Green and White Society]," Kosa said. "We crushed up cereal and blew it all over his room with a hair dryer."

In retaliation, Hawk put crackers and goldfish in all of Stufflebeam's shoes.

"He got really mad for two or three weeks," Kosa said with a laugh. "He could dish out pranks but couldn't take them."

Kovaleski said he had just started playing golf with Stufflebeam and a few others every Friday afternoon.

"The last time I went golfing with him, I had to meet them on the fourth hole and there was Ty, standing there golfing shoeless because he thought it would help him golf better," he said. "He was just so carefree."

Josh Huber, 21, a senior exercise science major, said Stufflebeam's favorite place was his hometown of Warren, Pa.

"I've never met anyone so proud of their hometown," Huber said.

Over the summer, he and Stufflebeam went on a canoe trip down the Allegheny River to go to the Rib Festival in Warren.

"The trip was supposed to take about an hour, but it took us about four and a half," Huber said. "We flipped the canoe half a dozen times. At the rib fest I got so sick from it, but I kept it from him because I didn't want him to think that I'd never go back with him."

In a senior seminar class, several of Stufflebeam's classmates made a plan to sell a memorial t-shirt and bracelets.

Nadia Kundick, 21, a senior health and physical education major, came up with the t-shirt idea and is one of the people in charge of the sale.

"I thought of a shirt because everyone loves t-shirts and it's a great way to show everyone how great he was," she said. "You see a bunch of people wearing a memorial shirt, that must mean he was a great guy and is dearly missed."

The shirts will feature a camouflage ribbon, Pittsburgh Steelers emblem and Slippery Rock University logo.

The t-shirts will cost $10 and can be ordered on Sept. 19 in the lobby of Morrow Field House from 12-2 p.m.

Kundick said she isn't sure where the extra money will go.

"The physical education department is trying to get some kind of memorial fund going for Ty and maybe get benches," she said. "I'm not quite sure exactly, but the leftover money will go towards whatever the department decides to put in his memory."

An on-campus memorial service for both Stufflebeam and Jack Hill Jr. is still being planned.

The following is an obituary submitted by Stufflebeam's family.

John Tyler Stufflebeam, 21, of Warren, PA died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident, Saturday morning, September 10, 2011 at Slippery Rock, PA.  He was born July 17, 1990 in Warren, PA. He was a 2008 graduate of Warren Area  High School, where he was a member of the Football Team, Track Team and Captain of  the Wrestling Team. He was involved in the Little Gridders Football Camp. In the summer, Tyler was employed with the Warren Beaty Playground and volunteered for the Fire Fly Spina Bifida Camp. He was currently a senior at Slippery Rock University, where he served as Vice-President of  Alumni Relations; he was a member of the Green and White Society, and Kids in Action.  He also helped coach Slippery Rock Youth Wresting. Tyler was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers Fan, hunter, runner and canoer.  

Tyler is survived by his mother and father, Christine Flasher Greene and Robert C. Greene, two brothers - Joseph Tristan Greene, age 10, and Justice Tage Greene, age 8,  both looked up to their big brother as a hero.  He was a leader to most and a friend to all.  He touched the lives of all who knew him.   He is also survived by his Maternal Grandparents - Shirley and Larry Fite of Warren, PA., John and Sharon Flasher of Pittsfield, PA., Paternal Grandparents, Garry Stufflebeam of Grand Valley, PA., Janice and Dennis Schafran of Raleigh, N.C., Grant Greene of Warren, PA., Pat and Jim McAnulty of Ft. Myers, FL., Maternal Great Grandmother - Opal Smith of Youngsville, PA., He leaves behind a special girlfriend, Sarah Ecker of Youngsville, PA., his grandparents at heart, Carmen, Patty and Susie Colosimo of Warren, PA., Many Aunts, Uncles and Cousins and many, many friends.  He was preceded in death by his father, Johnny Ray Stufflebeam, his Maternal Great Grandfather, Charles Smith and Maternal Great Grandparents, Delmer and Virginia Flasher. The family requests those in attendance of the visitation hours and funeral services to dress in Steelers Colors or camouflage in honor of Tyler's flare of dress.  Friends may call at the Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home, Inc., 304 East Street, Warren, PA. on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 P.M. A funeral service will be conducted Thursday at 11:00 A.M. at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Sterling, Pastor, officiating.  Interment will be in Oakland Cemetery.  Those wishing to place memorials may do so through the Warren Sports Boosters.  Those wishing to submit e-mail condolences may do so by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com