John Thomas Morrow
John Thomas Morrow died July 24, 2020 with his wife at his side.
Tom, the younger of two children, was born January 10, 1933 in Trussville, AL to Lillian Grace and James Edgar Morrow. His family moved to Birmingham when he was a toddler. He graduated from Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, AL in 1950 and Auburn in 1954, Mississippi State in 1955, and Texas A&M in 1960. He also served a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, with most that time spent at Walter Reed Army Institute of Health. In 1958 he married Sidney Ruth Denson, and they lived in College Station TX until they moved to Howard Payne University in Brownwood TX in 1965 where he was Chairman of the Division of Math and Science for three years before returning to Starkville and Mississippi State University as the head of the Zoology Department in 1968, then a professor of Biological Sciences. He was member of Sigma XI and a pre-med advisor; the heart of his work with students was working with pre-med students, who were ambitious, bright and motivated. Tom served as the principal advisor for the Biological Science Department and for pre-med majors at Mississippi State. Since 1978, he has devoted more than 50 percent of his time to “pointing students in the right direction.” As a mentor Tom felt a strong responsibility to prepare students entering the health-care field. “As the students move up the steps toward a health care profession, the steps get higher and bigger. If the students are not prepared, they will stumble,” professed Tom.
At Auburn he was on the livestock judging team and tied for forth in the nation on the international judging competition in Chicago. He was a bird watcher, woodworker, bee keeper, stock market watcher, and for a while raised border collies and enjoyed a small cattle and turf operation. He also dabbled in falconry and liked seeing eagles and more commonly red tailed hawks. He was generous and very strong spiritually, morally, and physically. Tom loved the Lord Jesus and set a Godly example in his home with family, friends, students and so many others. He was active in the BSU at Auburn and made friendships that have lasted until now; the group got together every two years for nearly sixty years. He was ordained a deacon at 26, he taught Sunday School, one group being the oldest ladies in the church who seemed to love him as their own dear son. As one of his grandchildren said “he taught us how to live.”
He was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife, Sidney Ruth and children Jim Morrow and Suzanne Hunger of Havre, Montana, Kirk and Rene Morrow of Greenville SC, Melinda Morrow of Memphis and Melissa and Dudley Dabbs of Apex, NC, grandchildren Julia and Nick Doyle of Fuquay-varina, NC, John and Natalie Dabbs of Starkville, MS, Thomas and Avery Dabbs of Monroe, LA and Grant Reid of Memphis, TN, his sister, Jimmie Bruce of Nashville, TN, and a host of neices and nephews.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Children's Building Fund, Starkville, MS, or charity of one's choice.
Due to Covid a memorial service will be at a later date.