George Traiger never settled for simply teaching courses at Kansas University’s School of Pharmacy. He always got more involved than that.

“He’s made a lasting footprint on the school,” said Dean Jack Fincham.

Traiger died after a heart attack Thursday night, the day before his 61st birthday.

He was in England with his wife, Bernadette, and daughter Diane visiting another daughter, Elizabeth, who is studying at Oxford University.

Traiger, a professor, had taught pharmacology and toxicology classes at KU since 1973. Fincham estimated Traiger had taught nearly 3,000 students during that time.

Traiger earned his Ph.D. in pharmacology at Marquette University in 1969. He worked briefly at the University of Montreal and Tulane University before coming to KU.

In addition to teaching, Traiger served stints as the School of Pharmacy’s liaison to the Graduate School and adviser to Rho Chi honor society. He also helped establish the school’s Minority Advisory Council in 1997, which aimed to improve minority recruitment.

“He has been an advocate within our school, and certainly we support everything he did in that regard,” Fincham said.

Traiger’s research interests focused on the effects of chemicals on the liver and kidneys and included almost $550,000 in funding from the National Institutes of Health during the last 30 years.

Traiger also enjoyed woodworking and fishing.

Funeral arrangements are pending.