Roy Glynn Creech, 87, of Starkville, Mississippi, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, after a long period of ill health with myasthenia gravis and dementia. Evening visitation will be on Wed., Nov. 30, from 5:00-6:30 PM at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville. Funeral services will be held on Thurs., Dec. 1st, at 11:00 AM, preceded by visitation at 10:00 AM, at the same location. Interment will follow at Oktibbeha Memorial Garden Park, 1608 Oktoc Rd., Starkville. Perry Jinkerson, a minister at the Starkville Church of Christ, will officiate. Serving their grandfather as pallbearers will be Brandon Creech, Michael Creech, Nathan Creech, Zac Case, Benjamin Harrison, and Aaron Smyser. Honorary pallbearers are Johnie Jenkins, Bailey Howell, and Jerry Rogers.
Dr. Creech is survived by his children, Valinda Creech Smith (Ed) of Grenada, MS; Colonel (retired) John Bruce Creech, Ph.D, of Tampa, FL; Glynn Edward Creech (Pat) of Murfreesboro, TN; as well as one sister, Marcelle Lee Creech Geudner (Paul) of Windsor, CO; and one brother, Jerry Lynn Creech (Elaine) of Port Arthur, TX; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members and their spouses. Dr. Creech and his late wife have nine grandchildren: Sarah Smith Case (Zac) of Grenada and Emily Smith Harrison (Benjamin) of Starkville; Samantha Creech Smyser (Aaron) of Starkville and US Army Sergeant First Class Michael Creech (Gina) of Fayetteville, NC; Garrett Creech and Morgan Creech of Troy, AL; Brandon Creech of Murfreesboro, TN; US Air Force Captain, Nathan Creech (Hailey) of Smyrna, DE; Michaela Creech Slay (Anthony) of Murfreesboro, TN; and seven great-grandchildren: Eason and Emery Smyser; Gabriel, Gideon, and Evelyn Case; and Cora and Liliana Creech.
Dr. Creech was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Irma (Walls) Creech; his parents, Judge John Wilson Creech and Dora Beatrice (Adams) Creech of Shelbyville, TX; two sisters, Margaret Francis (Creech) Beasley and Mildred Celeste (Creech) Webb; and three brothers, Elbert Paul Creech, Billy Bryant Creech, and James Raymond Creech.
Dr. Creech was a native of Shelby County, Texas, born on Jan. 24, 1935. He was a 1952 graduate of Shelbyville High School and a 1956 graduate of Stephen F. Austin University. He received both a 1958 master’s degree and a 1960 Ph.D. in genetics from Purdue University. From 1960-1972, Dr. Creech rose from Assistant Professor to full Professor in the Horticulture Dept. at Pennsylvania State University at State College, PA. He was on sabbatical at the University of Illinois from 1968-1969. From 1972-1990, he served Mississippi State University as Professor and Head of the Agronomy Dept. From 1991-2004 he was a research professor in the newly constituted MSU Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences until he retired due to illness. In 2005, the Mississippi College Board named Dr. Creech “Professor and Dept. Head Emeritus.” Over the years, his interests included serving his local congregation, Bible study and Sunday School teaching, family and genealogy, hunting, fishing, flying as a private pilot, and golfing.
Dr. Creech was a member of the Starkville Church of Christ where he served as a Deacon from 1973-1977, an Elder and Trustee from 1977-2004, Treasurer from 1988-2002, and Chairman of the Education Committee from 1972-1977 and 1988). When in Pennsylvania, he was also a member of Kiwanis International (Director of State College Club; II Vice President; I Vice President; President). In Mississippi, he was a member of Rotary International.
He is a past president of three national professional organizations–the Crop Science Society of America (Fellow), the National Sweet Corn Breeders Association, and the Agronomic Science Foundation.
He was a member of many other organizations including: Sigma Xi; Kappa Delta Pi; Alpha Chi; Phi Epsilon Phi; Gamma Sigma Delta; Phi Kappa Phi; American Association for the Advancement of Science (Fellow); American Genetic Association; Genetics Society of America; American Society of Plant Physiologists; American Society of Agronomy (Fellow); American Society for Horticultural Science; American Association of Cereal Chemists; Council for Agricultural Science and Technology; Soil and Water Conservation Society; Tomato Genetics Cooperative; Mississippi Agricultural Economics Association (Charter Member); Mississippi Agricultural Chemicals Council; Mississippi Soybean Association; East Mississippi Council (Economic Development); College of Agriculture Ag-100 Club (Charter Member, Support for Scholarships); Mississippi State University Centennial Club; Stephen F. Austin State University Alumni Association; organized MSU Staff Golf League; Mississippi Seed Improvement Association; Mississippi Section of American Society of Agronomy; Mississippi Chapter, Soil and Water Conservation Society; Mississippi Seedsmen’s Association; American Soybean Association; Association of Mississippi Agricultural Organizations; Purdue University Alumni Association; Mississippi Agricultural Chemicals Council; and the Oktibbeha Co. Soil & Water Conservation District.
The family extends sincere thanks to his caregivers at The Claiborne at Adelaide in Starkville and Kindred Hospice.
Memorial donations may be made to the University Christian Student Center (UCSC), 613 E. Lee Blvd., Starkville, MS 39759 or the charity of your choice.
