Timothy S. Fuerst
Timothy S. Fuerst, William and Dorothy O’Neill Professor of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, died Tuesday (Feb. 21) after a 10-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 54.
“Tim was a devoted and loving husband and father, a productive and highly respected economist, a gifted teacher and, of course, a wonderful friend to us all,” said William Evans, Keough-Hesburgh Professor and chair of the Department of Economics. “After Tim’s diagnosis, he adopted the motto of the Congregation of Holy Cross — Ave Crux, Spes Unica – ‘Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope.’ Although the cross Tim carried these past 10 months was heavy, his belief in the redemptive power of suffering never wavered. His courageous, dignified and faith-filled battle against the disease was an inspiration to us all.”
Fuerst conducted research on monetary theory and policy, with a special focus on business cycles. In addition to his faculty appointment, he also served as senior economic adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
“Tim was one of the cornerstones of a revived and extraordinarily successful economics program at Notre Dame,” said John McGreevy, I.A. O’Shaughnessy Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. “But of course he was even more: a superb teacher, a wonderful scholar and someone passionate about Notre Dame’s continued growth as a great Catholic university. We will miss him terribly, but we can be grateful for knowing him as we did and for his inspiring service to the University.”
In the classroom, Fuerst exhibited a “constant energy,” in the words of a recent student. While “ridiculously smart,” he had an infectious laugh and always kept his courses relevant and understandable for students.
Before joining the Notre Dame faculty, Fuerst served for 19 years as a professor of economics at Bowling Green State University. His research was published in the American Economic Review, Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of Economic Theory and many other scholarly publications. He served on the editorial board of the American Economic Review and was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking.
A funeral Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday (Feb. 24), at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Friends may visit with the family at McGann-Hay Granger Chapel from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 23). The prayer of the Holy Rosary will occur at 4:30 p.m.
Condolences may be sent to Antoinette Medaglia, 51725 Caledonian Drive, Granger, IN 46530-4277.