For someone who is supposed to be retired, Lyle Myers is anything but retiring. Friday he was honored with the Bill Muldowney Tutor of the Year Award for his volunteer work for the Lewis and Clark Literacy Council.

The award presented to Myers stated: "for unmatched patience, kindness and love of learning."

For Myers, tutoring is a joy. And it's been a gift as much for him as for his student, Kiyo Michi Nagata, manager of Kumamoto Plaza.

"I love it. He loves it," Myers said.

"I'm happy to have a chance to say thank you directly to him," said Nagata, during a surprise party for Myers at Kumamoto Plaza. "I so deeply appreciate it. I enjoy...too...very much."

In fact, Nagata requested Myers as his tutor because he had heard such wonderful things about him from the former manager of Kumamoto Plaza, Junichi Matsumoto, who was also one of Myers' literacy students.

Nagata and Myers meet twice a week and talk about whatever interests Nagata.

"I improve my English skills, that's my first purpose. Sometimes we talk about politics or religious topic. I'm so happy talking such taboo topics," said Nagata. "I'm so interested in politics, religions or economics."

He can question Myers about whatever he is curious about and Myers answers directly.

"I already studied American history...sometimes I'm critical. He's not angry. He's gentle," Nagata said.

In fact Myers has befriended Nagata's whole family. And when Nagata's parents visited recently, they were invited to the Myers' family cabin.

"My parents had a culture shock," Nagata said. "Everything totally different (from Japan). They enjoyed culture shock."

"He's gently teaching me the system of this country. He's a good tutor. Best tutor," Nagata said."I deeply appreciate his attitude. I can get a lot of knowledge about America from him."

But the tutoring is a two-way gift.

"Every time I meet with Kiyo, we have no idea what we'll talk about. The hour is gone before you know it," said Myers. "The satisfaction and joy I get from this is very important to me."

Myers' approach to teaching "depends on the needs of the students. It is driven by the students."

His other literacy student was a man in his 70s who could only read at a third-grade level. He'd requested a tutor because he wanted to write his wife of 50 years a love letter for their anniversary.

The man was also embarrassed that as an officer in a fraternal organization, he couldn't do his readings correctly and would stumble over them.

Myers offered to help him learn to read the organization's manual. "He was thrilled," Myers said. He got permission from the organization and brought his manual in.

When he finally learned to read his part, "he was so happy," Myers said. "He was just smiling that he could now go through it."

Myers' generosity and willingness to help his students earned him this year's Tutor of the Year Award, said Peggy O. Benkelman, director of the Lewis & Clark Literacy Council.

"He really goes out of his way to spend time with his students," she said. "He does more socially with his students. He goes out of his way to share aspects of our community.He also has a great cultural and social awareness and is very accepting of differences."

Myers, a retired researcher from Montana State University, has had a passion for pursuing knowledge much of his life.

He earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Purdue and worked in MSU's Veterinary Research Laboratory for 26 years. One of his accomplishments was developing a vaccine against calf scours, or calf diarrhea.

A farm boy from Western Oregon, Myers loves to garden. "I supply the neighborhood with vine-ripened tomatoes August, September and October."

He's also designed and built six to eight houses over the years, in Bozeman, Missoula and Helena area.

"I've always enjoyed aspects of building a house -- plumbing, wiring, masonry, framing, roofing -- all phases of construction."

Some of the houses he built from the ground up, others he did some of the tasks.

Myers also volunteers for hospice.

"It's the two programs (tutoring and hospice) I feel strongly about," he said. "It (life) is just pleasingly full. I can hike, hunt, go to the cabin. This (volunteering) fills out my life with things I enjoy doing."

And he visits the library frequently. "I've always loved reading. I'm forever learning something new."

His passion is nonfiction, whether the book be Civil War history, Middle East politics or about gay culture in America.

And for those who retire from their jobs and are bored, Myers just smiles and shakes his head in wonderment.

"I enjoyed my work, but I love retirement," he said. "I cannot relate at all to those who don't know what to do."

What is the

Lewis & Clark

Literacy Council?

The Lewis & Clark Literacy Council helps people learn basic literacy skills and also assists non-English speakers with reading, writing and the English language, said Director Peggy O. Benkelman.

Volunteer tutors receive a training class and are provided free teaching materials.

Tutors often help teach workforce skills, such as how to fill out job applications. They also assist their student with voter registration, driver license applications, and citizenship papers. Students also learn to read to their children and can get assistance on understanding health issues.

To learn more about the literacy program or to volunteer, call Benkelman at 324-2111.