Forever Maroon

Remembering Arthur “Art” Davis

Arthur “Art” Davis, who scored the first Mississippi State touchdown ever called by Jack Cristil, died Jan. 29. He was 86.

A native of Clarksdale, Davis earned a football scholarship to Mississippi State University, where the football stadium now bears his name. Now known as one of the Bulldog all-time greats, he was named the Southeastern Conference’s Player of the Year in 1954 and a first team All American in 1955, the same year Look Magazine named him college football’s Player of the Year.

Davis is in the sports halls of fame of both Mississippi State and the state of Mississippi. In recent years, he was named an SEC Football Legend and inducted into the Mississippi State Football Ring of Honor.

The fifth overall NFL draft pick in 1955, Davis played for the Pittsburgh Steelers until injuries abruptly ended his career. He then became a coach, first for Biloxi High School then Louisiana State University and Georgia Tech. He ended his coaching career in 1963 as defensive backs coach for the national champion Texas Longhorns.

Davis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and social studies from MSU in 1956, returned to Mississippi to work for the Mississippi School Supply Company in Cleveland before returning to MSU to serve as the MSU Foundation director of development for 13 years. He then worked in public relations for United Southern Bank and First National Bank of Clarksdale and as a volunteer coach at Lee Academy until his retirement in 2001.

Although Davis and his wife moved to Oregon upon retirement to be closer to their son’s family, he returned to Mississippi in 2020. As he told Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland, “There’s no place like Mississippi” and now he’s been laid to rest on “home turf.”

Madalyn Bails (B.S. human development and family studies, ’20) 21, Plantersville – She was a six-year member of the Girl Scouts of America, receiving the President’s Honor for Volunteer Service and the Girl Scout Merit Award. She was the youngest member in the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and participated in numerous charities including the St. Jude Bike-A-Thon. A graduate of Shannon High School, she was active in Beta Club and the Shannon High School band. Thanks to dual enrollment credits, she entered Mississippi State with a full year of college completed. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she was passionate about working with children and worked at Mississippi State’s Child Development and Family Studies Center. She completed her degree from MSU in the fall of 2020 and had enrolled in graduate school at Tulane University with plans to become a doctor. – Jan. 11, 2021 Dael Baughman (B.S. mechanical engineering, ’59) 83, Kilgore, Texas – A member of numerous honor societies while at State, he moved to Texas following his graduation to work for Texas Eastman, a division of Eastman-Kodak, until his retirement 40 years later. During that time, he progressed through various positions in the engineering department, plastics lab and environmental affairs, which he served as manager for the 10 years prior to his retirement. He was also a cattle rancher. He was a member of the United Church of God where he was an Elder and ordained minister. – Dec. 12, 2020 William Jay “Bill” Bryson (B.S. architecture, ’08) 43, Tupelo – A prolific musician, he played guitar and piano, among other instruments, and enjoyed playing music with his friends. He was a master draftsman in his career and privately a very talented artist. – March 21, 2021 Nell Crowe Dean (B.S. undeclared, ’64; retired staff) 77, Starkville – During her 34-year career with Mississippi State, she held positions in the College of Education, Office of the Academic Vice President and the Office of the President. She will be remembered for her meticulous attention to detail and dedication to her work. She was active in the Starkville Business and Professional Women’s Club where she served on many committees, as well as being vice president and president. She was involved with the Starkville Community Theater, which she served for a term as treasurer. – Jan. 26, 2021 Sidney Hugh Easley (B.S. accounting, ’69; M.S. public policy and administration, ’03) 73, Brandon – A member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1984-1987, he was a graduate of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State and was named a Certified Grants Specialist by the National Grant Writers Association in 2002. He was a retired vice president of Mississippi Home Corporation, working in the development of low-income housing. He also played guitar and banjo as an amateur country musician. He had been a Mason and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. – July 23, 2020 Jimmy Blaine Fisher (B.S. social studies education, ’63) 79, Corinth – Following his graduation from Mississippi State, he completed a degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law and began practicing law in Corinth. An active member of the community, he was a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club, serving a term as president. He was also on the board of several charitable organizations and an active member of Habitat for Humanity for many years. He was a scout master of Boy Scout Troop 129 and earned the Silver Beaver Award. Fisher also served on the Corinth School Board and was serving as a youth court judge for Alcorn County. The Corinth Junior Auxiliary recognized him as the 2015 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. – Jan. 2, 2021 Edward Glennan Grady Jr. (B.S. petroleum geology, ’57; B.S. forestry, ’61) 85, Corinth – A native of Laurel, he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and an active reservist with the U. S. Army. Following a brief career in the southeast Louisiana oilfields, he returned to MSU to complete an education in forestry and was selected as the outstanding graduate in the School of Forest Resources. He then spent many years with Tennessee River Pulp & Paper Co. and later as principal developer of Chips, Inc., a wood processing plant in Glen. – Jan. 10, 2021 Zack Melvin Jenkins (B.S. accounting, ’61) 81, Summer – He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity while at Mississippi State and a veteran of the U.S. Army. A former Tallahatchie County Tax assessor-collector, he was a past president of the Mississippi Tax Assessors Association. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sumner where he taught Sunday school and served as a deacon for more than 50 years. – Dec. 7, 2020

Hershel Fulton Johnson (B.S. dairy production, ’58) 84, Canton – A native of Noxapater and 4-H Club leader, Johnson was part of the MSU Dairy Club and Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Team. He began his career with the Farmers’ Home Administration in Noxubee County. He went on to serve in the Attala, Hancock and Itawamba officers where he helped individual farmers, low-income families and seniors in rural areas get financial assistance. He was later promoted to the district level and ultimately the state office in Jackson where he led both the Rural Business and Utility Service Program divisions. He also completed dairy and agronomy research at the MSU-affiliated Black Belt Experiment Station in Brooksville. While there he received the Master Dairyman Award. A military veteran, he was also active in the Lions Club and served as a Meals on Wheels volunteer. – Jan. 27, 2021 Thomas H. “Tom” Loftin (B.S. agriculture, ’53; M.S., Ph.D. agricultural Extension, ’75) 88, Starkville – He completed an associates degree at Hinds Community College before transferring to Mississippi State to complete his education. He began a teaching career at Myric High School in Jones County before joining the MSU Extension Service first as assistant county agent and then associate county agent in Poplarville. He worked with the 4-H program before transitioning into working with farmers. He later joined Extension's Community Rural Development department at MSU and retired as state leader for the Department of Community Development in 1986. Following his retirement, he served as a consultant for 10 years. He was secretary of the state Agriculture Economics Association, state vice president and later state president of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and director and life member of the board of the District 5 Mississippi Retired Public Employees organization. Loftin served his community as a Boy Scout leader, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Poplarville Rotary Club, a volunteer fireman, Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star, Master of the Masonic Lodge, and a Shriner. – March 11, 2021 Joyce “Joy” Hyder O’Keefe (retired staff) 84, Paducah, Kentucky – She worked for the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service for more than 35 years. During that time, she earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi. Following her retirement, she took up quilting, joining clubs in Mississippi and Kentucky. She was also heavily involved in genealogical research and enjoyed traveling. – Jan. 24, 2021 Cathy Dianne Dewberry Oswalt (retired staff) 69, Starkville – Oswalt served Mississippi State for 25 years in the George Hall office of University Relations, now known as the Office of Public Affairs. Known for her sunny and helpful demeanor, her world revolved around her children and grandchildren. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mathiston. – Jan. 17, 2021 Elaine S. Parrish (M.S. technology, ’75; Ph.D instructional systems workforce development, ’11) 66, Columbus – Prior to becoming a Bulldog, Parrish attended the University of North Alabama and earned a bachelor’s degree from the Mississippi University for Women, where she later worked for three years. After earning a doctorate from MSU, she became a professor at St. Leo University. – Feb. 28, 2021 R.L. Qualls (B.S., M.S, Ph.D. agricultural economics, ’54, ’58, ’62) 91, Little Rock, Arkansas – In addition to his Mississippi State University education, Qualls earned a doctoral degree in economics from Louisiana State University and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University. Recognized as Mississippi State’s 2018 Alumnus of the Year, Qualls served in numerous leadership positions throughout his career. He was president and chairman of the board for the University of the Ozarks; director of the Department of Finance and Administration and cabinet secretary in former Gov. Bill Clinton’s administration; executive vice president of Worthen Banking Corporation; president and CEO of Baldor Electric Company; lead independent director for Bank of the Ozarks; and co-chairman of the Taylor Companies, an investment banking and mergers acquisitions firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. He also directed Executive in Residence programs at University of the Ozarks, St. Gregory’s University and the University of North Alabama. Qualls served his community as president of both the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club in Clarksville, Arkansas; chairman of the Arkansas Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; and trustee at Oklahoma City University, University of the Ozarks and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences board. He was also a 32nd degree Mason of Burnsville. A member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and lifelong Bulldog, Qualls was dedicated to Mississippi State. He served as chairman of the development committee of the Foundation board of directors and was part of the Executive Advisory Board of the College of Business where he helped establish the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach. – Feb. 15, 2021

Longtime administrator remembered for transformative service

Bill R. Foster, who served as associate vice president for Student Affairs during his 39-year career at Mississippi State, died April 11. He was 88.

A native of Tremont, Foster began his MSU tenure in 1960 as coordinator of student activities and then director of housing. He was also the first director of the Student Union, which opened in 1966, and was instrumental in the start of the College of Education’s master’s degree in student affairs. In 1972, Foster was promoted to dean of student services and, at the time of his retirement, held the title of associate vice president.

During his career, Foster helped grow the university from an enrollment of approximately 2,800 to a well-respected institution with an enrollment of 18,000 at the time of his retirement. He is one of four former Bulldog leaders to make up the inaugural class of MSU’s Robert L. Jones Student Affairs Hall of Honor, which pays tribute to the groundbreaking work and strong leadership on which the division is built. In 2008, the 9,200-square-foot assembly area in the Colvard Student Union was dedicated in his honor, becoming the Bill R. Foster Ballroom.

A two-time MSU alumnus, Foster earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics and science education from Mississippi State. He also held a doctoral degree in higher education administration from the University of Alabama.

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WITH REUBEN MOORE

My first trip to MSU was to a 4-H event on campus, the first of many over the years. During those trips, I was introduced to professors like Dr. Joe Bearden and Gerald Taylor who worked to recruit me to dairy science. By my senior year in high school, I was convinced that there was nowhere else for me to attend college.

My parents could not afford tuition and I did not want to borrow money, so I came about a month before the semester started and worked at the MSU dairy. Working 10 to 12 hours a day, I made enough money to cover my first semester’s tuition with the help of a few scholarships.

The MSU dairy was located across old Highway 82, where the research park is now. The area that now houses most of MSU’s athletic complexes was cow pastures. One of my jobs was to move the cows from those pastures to the milking barn through a culvert under the highway. We started milking at 4:30 a.m. to finish in time for our 8 a.m. classes.

At the start of my sophomore year, I was offered a job at an animal nutrition lab in Montgomery Hall working for Dr. John Lusk. I worked in that lab until I graduated. I did not make as much money working for Dr. Lusk so I had to supplement that job with others. I worked on Saturdays at a service station in Philadelphia. At night I worked in the basement of the A&M Creamery running butterfat samples.

Following my graduation, I enrolled at the University of Tennessee to work under Starkville-native Dr. Monty Montgomery. It was a great experience, but I could never like UT as much as MSU. Football games were not the same without cowbells.

After receiving a master’s in animal nutrition, I accepted a job in Jackson, Tennessee, working at a UT branch experiment station. I was there for less than 12 months when I got a job offer at an MSU branch experiment station in Verona, which also gave me the opportunity to work on a doctorate. The experiment station work gave me good experience I could use for my career with Mississippi State University.

Before completing my research project for my dissertation, I learned my brother needed help. He had returned to our family’s dairy after graduating from MSU and was purchasing it from our father but had recently been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He asked if I wanted to come take over the dairy farm. I realized he needed help and his wife needed help caring for him. It was also an opportunity for my children to enjoy the farm life, so I decided to leave MSU and move back to the dairy.

He lived only two more years, but I decided to stay at the farm. I was able to complete my doctorate by changing my research project. In 1988, I earned a position in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science as an Extension research professor. I was able to work with the university that I love and serve an industry that needed educational programs that we could provide.

In 1998, I accepted a position as head of MSU’s North Mississippi Research and Extension Center. I was responsible for four branch experiment stations in Northeast Mississippi. The great faculty and staff supported me beyond belief, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my career in administration.

I have truly been blessed to be able to work at MSU for 38 years. There have been very few days in my career that I didn’t look forward to going to work. I was doing things that I enjoyed and getting paid for it. Since my recent retirement, I realize more than ever that I have worked for a great university, I have worked with some outstanding people and I have enjoyed it immensely. What a career!

A native of Neshoba County, Reuben Moore earned a bachelor’s in dairy science and a doctorate in animal physiology from MSU, in 1969 and 1986 respectively. He also holds a master’s in animal nutrition from the University of Tennessee. From humble beginnings working at the MSU dairy, he developed an extensive career in university administration that has included administrative positions with the MSU Extension Service, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. He is married to fellow Mississippi State graduate Fay (Pilgrim) Moore, who graduated in 1969 with a bachelor’s in elementary education.

RESPONSES Spring 2021

BARBARA PUTNAM MONTS (B.S. MUSIC EDUCATION, ’70)

I was driving back to campus from church when I first saw the sign. It was large enough to warn people before we drove up Lee Boulevard as we commonly did then. It was a shock and there was much talk about the grammar. I believe it was the brainchild of Mr. Bill Gearheiser, whose actual title I don’t remember, but he was in charge of engineering at the university. Mr. Gearheiser was a wonderful man who was very talented. He was quiet but once you got to know him, he would reveal his razor wit and humor. He was a dedicated ham radio expert. Many people didn’t know that he was responsible for connecting many people with distant relatives by radio in those days when long distance calls were frightfully expensive. He never talked about how much he helped, but I was a beneficiary of his hobby when I lived overseas and he arranged a call between my parents and me. Who knows how many other people he aided. He didn’t blow his own horn. His cheerful smile was a welcome sight to lonely students in the union. He always had a witty comment.

It is easy to believe that his humor and expertise were behind this well-loved sign. Thanks for the laugh, Mr. Gearheiser.

WADE WINEMAN JR. (B.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, ’70; MBA, ’73)

Perhaps my most prominent recollection about the intersection was the legendary campus policeman who used to direct traffic through that convoluted intersection. I never knew his real name, but he was colorfully known by all students as “Windmill.” This name resulted from the incessant motions that he made with his arms, as he attempted to direct cars safely through the five roads that joined at the intersection. His arms were constantly in motion. He must have had sore muscles in his arms every night. Another memory is the story that was often told when I was at State in the ’60s about students in earlier eras greasing the tracks of the railroad that ran nearby, just south of the intersection. When the train attempted to move up the hill near the intersection, its wheels would slip and spin, and the train would frequently be unable to make it up the hill. If I remember correctly, the students most often used bars of soap to grease the tracks.

Officially known as Five-Points Intersection, Mississippi State’s infamous “Malfunction Junction” sparked much frustration, fear and more than a few prayers for safe passage. As seen in this photo, it also inspired a bit of humor. In this image from the University Archives, a sign reading “Don’t never ever enter” implores drivers to heed the one-way direction of one of the intersecting roads.

ROB HATAWAY (B.S. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, ’99)

My Malfunction Junction story happened in the fall of 1999. MSU football was 7-0, and they held a midnight pep rally in the Amphitheatre the night before the Thursday night Kentucky game. On our way to the pep rally, we came onto campus on Bully Boulevard, came up to Malfunction Junction, and made a left-hand circle all the way around it and back out Russell Street to park, and we didn’t catch a single red light. It was a thing of beauty.

FRED SHAW III (B.S. ANIMAL SCIENCE, ’73) I enjoyed your Spring 2021 edition’s photo of the infamous “Malfunction Junction.” You stopped short, however, of including two important facts about the photo. The sign which read “Don’t Never Ever Enter” was in place on Lee Avenue in the fall of 1969. It remained there only a short time, however, as the English department demanded its removal.

KYLEEN KILCLINE (B.S. PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ’07)

I received the Spring 2021 issue and came across a photo and story that is very close to me. On the very last page, the story about the sign that mysteriously appeared at five-points junction reading “Don’t Never Ever Enter.” My grandfather and his coffee group buddies were the master minds behind that prank! I can remember my grandfather telling me and other family members about how they pulled this prank on the university and drivers but of course we never saw photo evidence! My grandfather was Buck Templeton and he actually had several other stories besides this one relating to the university as he lived on campus for several years and served 43 years as the university electrical foreman.

He was one of the first ones on the scene when Old Main was burning, lived at a house right outside Davis Wade stadium, was involved in bringing every building on the MSU campus online between 1944 until his retirement in 1985, helped with the temporary lighting on Scott Field for the first night football game, and even had a baby dropped off at his front door while living at campus housing.

Seeing this picture made us believe he was reaching out to us and reminding my family of all his memories and stories on campus as he passed away August 2019.

BRENT ORR (B.S. AGRICULTURAL AND EXTENSION EDUCATION, ’86)

I was an RA in McArthur for the 1984-85 school year.

Not sure what time of the year it was, but an elderly couple pulled up to the front steps of the dorm and asked for directions to the place to purchase cheese. Without missing a beat I told them “I’m sorry but you can’t get there from here. You have to go somewhere else and start!”

I think we finally got them to Herzer but it was no simple task.