By Regis L. Roberts
When Professor Mary Jane Howe, now retired, first saw James Dyer in fall 1979, she thought he was scary.
She said he sat in his wheelchair in McCreless Hall, staring off into space, his eyes obscured by dark, reflective sunglasses.
She also found it odd that he had quarters in his ears.
She saw him day after day and did nothing to ease the tension she felt until one day she decided her apprehension was silly and decided to introduce herself to him.
To break the ice, she asked him, “Why do you have quarters in your ears?” He explained that the quarters were to remind him to make a phone call to his doctors to report on the amount of time he spent sitting upright in his wheelchair, which was difficult for him.
Dyer died Oct. 24 at the age of 56.
When Dyer was 18, he was involved in a gang shooting in New Orleans. He did not receive medical attention immediately and gangrene set in, forcing doctors to amputate portions of both legs.
Dyer continued to lose more of his legs from complications of diabetes.
Howe, who retired in December after more than 31 years teaching at this college, looking at pictures of Dyer from 1980 and 1982, pointed out that his residual limbs were shorter between those years.
Howe said Dyer was a pioneer for handicapped students on this campus.
Dyer was a work-study at disability support services on this campus, which, Howe said, was nothing like it is today.
She said Dyer was a dedicated student and, when he enrolled in one of her reading classes the semester after they met, he sat beside her desk, facing the class.
Dyer loved the campus so much, he told Howe before he died that he wanted to be a part of it.
By September, after a few tough surgeries, Howe said he knew he was in a losing battle.
Dyer and Howe, who held medical power of attorney for him, began to discuss what would happen when he died.
Howe said he talked often about reincarnation and that he wanted to come back in another life as a tree.
He handwrote a will, which stipulated that he wanted to be cremated.
To honor his memory, a tree will be planted in the mall between Moody Learning and Fletcher Administration centers.
A plaque also will be placed next to the tree reading: “Dedicated Nov. 14, 2007, in memory of James Edward Dyer, the man in the chair. San Antonio College student, friend to all — stranger to none. He overcame the physical and made a spiritual victory.”
The planting and ceremony will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Dyer’s legacy will be preserved in a live oak tree on the campus he loved so dearly.