Dining Services is in a state of mourning after a worker collapsed Sunday night in the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall and shortly after passed away.
Walter DeCourcey, a Dining Services employee, died of a heart-related failure.
"Certainly, they're all shocked and stunned," Director of Dining Services Patti Klos said of DeCourcey's coworkers at Dewick. "It has taken everyone by complete surprise. [DeCourcey was] well liked by his fellow employees."
DeCourcey was serving as a temporary worker in Dewick's dish room. Last year, he worked in Hodgdon's Good-to-Go dining facility.
On Sunday, he fell to the floor at approximately 7:40 p.m. He was at his post at the time.
The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) immediately received a call, according to Capt. Mark Keith. Police officers arrived on the scene to apply CPR until Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) workers came and used an automated external defibrillator (AED), a shocking device employed to reinvigorate a failing heart, Keith said.
Somerville Fire Department workers arrived and transported DeCourcey to the Somerville Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:19 p.m., according to TUPD Sgt. Robert McCarthy.
A funeral mass will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Holy Name Church in West Roxbury.
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Sarah Butrymowicz and Rob Silverblatt contributed reporting to this article.
