Spencer K. Bedenbaugh (B.S. accounting, ’49) 98, Vestavia Hills, Alabama – The son of a professor, he is said to have “grown up” on the Mississippi State campus. He interrupted his college education to enlist in the U.S. Navy during the last year of WWII and was stationed in Hawaii. Following an honorable discharge, he returned to MSU to finish his degree. After his graduation, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where he worked as an internal auditor for U.S. Steel until his retirement. — March 27, 2025
Anne Charisse Cook Crawford (B.S. business education, ’79) 67, Blanco, Texas – A native of Picayune, she and her husband lived and worked in various Gulf Coast cities before settling in Texas. She was a devoted wife and mother and pursued her passion for design by earning a bachelor’s in interior design and founding Crawford Creations. — June 8, 2025
Frank M. Davis (B.S., M.S., Ph.D., entomology, ’61, ’63, ’65; Emeritus professor) 85, Starkville – A former MSU tennis star, he was a longtime research entomologist for the USDA and an adjunct professor at MSU. Throughout his far-reaching career, he authored or co-authored 163 publications, patented the “Davis Inoculator” and was instrumental in establishing the first insect rearing educational program in the U.S., which now bears his name. In 2000, his contributions to agriculture were recognized in Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 568, and, in 2005, he was named a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America. Also a civic leader, he served as vice mayor for Starkville and on the city’s Board of Aldermen. — Jan. 10, 2025
James Berry “Jim” Hollis Sr. (B.S. agriculture, M.Ed. agricultural & Extension education; ’64, ’74; retired Extension agent) 83, Meridian – Following his MSU graduation, he and his wife Linda moved to Meridian where he joined the Lauderdale County Extension office as the 4-H Youth agent. He retired as the lead Lauderdale County agent after 28 years with the Extension service. Following the loss of their daughter, the Hollises joined other grieving parents to cofound a chapter of Compassionate Friends with the mission of supporting bereaved parents. — Jan. 27, 2025
Bennie Charles Keith Jr. (M.S. agronomy, Ph.D. agricultural science, Ph.D. agronomy; ’74, ’81, ’91; retired Extension agent, faculty) 72, Starkville – A native of Hollandale where he learned the value of hard work on the family farm, he was a high school football star and won the state science fair with his invention of the brake fluid indicator. This light was first manufactured by the Ford Motor Co. and became a standard feature on all cars. Following his graduation from MSU, he began a career with the MSU Extension Service at the Delta Research Extension Center in Stoneville. He later became department head of MSU’s Foundation Seed Service. He was director of the Mississippi Seed Technology Program at the time of his retirement. During his academic career, he authored numerous publications, taught graduate-level courses and established seed labs in foreign countries. He had a second career with the Mississippi Crop Improvement Association, serving 20 years as the executive secretary. He also provided valuable service to the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies as president in 2007-08. He was recognized among the Who’s Who in Mississippi and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Active in the community, he coached little league baseball, including the local All-Stars and leading a team to the Little League World Series. — May 31, 2025
Hardy Cole Kergosien (B.S. industrial engineering, ’69) 77, Hazlehurst – A member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Mississippi State, he began his career at Union Carbide Corp. in Texas. He later returned to his hometown, Hazlehurst, where he served his community for 31 years in the hardware business. He was active in a variety of civic organizations and his church. — Feb. 17, 2025
Robert Thomas “Bob” Littlejohn (B.S. accounting, ’66) 79, Murfreesboro, Tennessee – Born, with twin sister Betty, on Mississippi State’s campus to W.W. Littlejohn, who established MSU’s accounting program, he was a lifelong Bulldog and a CPA. — Dec. 17, 2024
Rev. Joseph Clifton “Jody” McWilliams Jr. (B.A. religion and philosophy, ’59) 87, Richmond, Virginia — He was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army, and was inspired by his service to pursue a master’s in divinity and theology, and another in psychology and pastoral counseling from Boston University. He was ordained in the United Methodist Church and began training to be a chaplain at the Medical College of Virginia. He later led two small congregations around Ruther Glen, Virginia, while earning his third master’s degree, this one in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University. From 1971 until 2004, he served as executive director of the William Byrd Community House in Richmond, Virginia, including working with the community toward racial integration in the 1970s, successfully fighting the expansion of VCU in the 1980s and supporting the growth of WBCH’s service area in the 1990s. Throughout his life he mentored hundreds of social workers. He earned recognition from chairing the United Neighborhood Center of America Executive Board and earned VCU’s Alumni Star Award. He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club and Leadership Metro Richmond. — March 9, 2025
James Carson Patton Jr. (B.S. social studies education, ’76) 71, Starkville – Following his graduation from MSU, he earned a law degree from the University of Mississippi. He has a reputation as a ferocious litigator who dedicated his practice to helping the underserved. — Dec. 5, 2024
Boma Cave Pennebaker Sr. (B.S. physical education, ’72) 75, Flowery Branch, Georgia – A Georgia native, Pennebaker attended Mississippi State on a full track scholarship, becoming a four-year letterman in high hurdles. He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and an Air Force Reserves veteran. He owned and operated Pasquale’s restaurant in Gainesville, Georgia, for more than 30 years and enjoyed traveling the world with his wife JoAnne. — Dec. 28, 2024
Fred Oliver Simons Jr. (B.S. electrical engineering, ’60) 87, Orlando, Florida – Following his graduation from MSU, he earned master’s and doctoral degrees in the field of electromagnetics from the University of Florida with a Ford Foundation Fellowship. He then joined the electrical engineering faculty at Florida teaching graduate-level courses through a first-of-its-kind statewide, interactive, live TV system. He later moved to the University of Central Florida where he spearheaded the electrical engineering department’s evolution into an electrical and computer engineering department. He was then selected by Florida State University to launch the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. During his career he produced more than 150 research papers. He retired as a Professor Emeritus at Florida State. — Oct. 26, 2024
Tommy E. Smith (B.S. electrical engineering, ’65) 82, Ocean Springs – His career with Mississippi Power spanned 30 years, taking him from junior engineering to Power Generation and Services director before his retirement in 1998. — June 2, 2025
James Hobert “Jim” Taylor (B.S. agricultural engineering, ’51) 95, Opelika, Alabama – Following his MSU graduation, he served in the Korean War. He then worked at International Harvester Co. in Memphis, Tennessee, until moving to Auburn, Alabama, to pursue graduate studies. He earned a doctoral degree in what is now biological engineering. In 1978, he was named one of 30 Engineers of the Century to celebrate the university’s 100th anniversary. He spent 30 years as a research engineer with the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics lab and was an adjunct professor, responsible for directing master’s and doctoral candidates for Auburn’s graduate school. A registered Professional Engineer, his basic traction research culminated in leadership of national and international programs as a national technical advisor for traction and controlled traffic. He was a member of several professional societies and worked closely with scientists from around the world. He died one day shy of turning 96. — Jan. 27, 2025