David Luen McMillen, age 80, died Sunday July 17, 2022 after a brief illness. David was born September 3, 1941 in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Luen and Lela McMillen. Later the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee where his father owned two Massey Ferguson tractor dealerships. After his mother’s passing when he was a child, his father married Ruth Castelaw (Fry), who was his beloved mother until her passing in 2001.
He attended East High in Memphis and college at Memphis State University where he received a Bachelor of Science, and later completed a Ph.D. in Social Psychology at the University of Texas. In 1968, he and his growing family moved to Starkville as one of a small group of faculty members hired to build the Arts & Sciences Psychology Department at Mississippi State University (MSU).
David was also part of the MSU Social Science Research Center. During his early career, Dr. McMillen’s research areas included social psychological factors involved with impaired drivers and increasing the use of vehicle restraints. In 1996, he began focusing on college graduation rates and academic success. He became director of the MSU Pathfinders program, a program designed to improve retention, academic performance, and graduation rates for freshmen. This award-winning program has been highly successful and resulted in improved freshman academic performance and student retention at the university.
He will be remembered by all for his love of classic black-and-white films, for entertainment and for use in class to illustrate a concept. He was a supporter of local arts and artists as well, serving as vice president for membership with the Starkville Community Theatre (SCT) in the late 1980s, leading efforts to send SCT to its first regional competition. Another of his favorite pastimes was playing on the Big Red Flag Football team (Campus Champion on several occasions), where he built friendships that he maintained throughout his life. David loved music, especially blues and jazz, enjoyed listening to live music at local venues, and assisted with the Howlin’ Wolf Blues Festival in its early years. He served many roles at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, during his long membership, including serving on the vestry.
David was dedicated to his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren, taking an interest in their schooling, career development, and sharing a good time. He was known for his special homemade burgers that were the highlight of many a family gathering.
David was preceded in death by his daughter Lela, his father Luen and mother Lela, his second mother Ruth Castelaw, and his wife Dixie Taylor McMillen who passed away just five days before him, as well as his sister and brother-in-law, Frances Wells and John Wells.
He is survived by his children Robert McMillen and his wife Lisa Long, Eleanor Green and her husband John J. Green, and Randall McMillen and his wife Whitney Hilton, and his first wife Edith Cameron McMillen. David is also survived by his many grandchildren who affectionately called him “Papa D” –Anthony Green and his wife Taylor Green, Edith Marie Green, Elaina McMillen, Cameron Long-McMillen, and Galen McMillen, as well as nephews William Watkins and Johnny Wells.
A joint memorial for both David and Dixie McMillen will be held Monday August 15, 2022 at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, with visitation held at 9:30a.m. and service to follow at 11:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection https://ecrstarkville.com/; the Starkville Community Theatre http://www.sct-online.org/; or the Starkville Area Arts Council http://www.starkvillearts.net/.
