George Pierce Mullendore, well-know Extension cotton specialist and contributor to Delta Farm Press, passed away in Starkville, Miss., on Nov. 13. He was 78.
He was born in Noxapater, Miss., on June 16, 1934, to the late George A. and Ruth Young Mullendore.
In June 1955 he married Marilyn McGehee of Magnolia, Miss., and in August 1955 he graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.
He and his wife lived in Germany in 1956 and 1957, where he served in the United States Army as a medical assistant.
He began his 32-year career with the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service in 1957 as an assistant county agent in Holmes County, Miss. He was promoted to associate county agent in 1959 and served as an Extension agronomist for Mississippi State from 1962 to 1986.
Mullendore earned his master’s degree and completed his doctorate in Weed Science in 1975.
His career as an internationally recognized cotton expert took him to countries across the globe.
In 1986 he began serving as associate coordinator of the Cotton Modeling Center until his retirement from the Extension Service in 1989. Upon his retirement he began Mullendore Cotton Consulting.
In 1992 he was named project coordinator for the Mississippi Boll Weevil Management Corporation, which he served until 2000.
Upon his second retirement he enjoyed reading, traveling, golf, hunting and fishing, but most of all he treasured time spent with his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mullendore was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Starkville where he served as president of the Savage Bible Sunday School Class. He served on the board of directors of Odd Fellows Cemetery.
His leadership, honors and awards include Mississippi Weed Science Committee secretary, 1966-1971: vice chairman, 1972; and chairman in 1973; MSU’s 1970 Gamma Sigma Delta Honors Society of Agriculture Award; 1979 MSU Faculty Achievement Award; past president, County Agents Association; cofounder of the Delta Expo, 1974-1989; Certificate of Distinguished Service by National Association of County Agriculture Agents, 1984; 1986 Cotton Extension Education Award; MSU’s 1987 Agriculture and Home Economics Alumni Award; and the Beltwide Extension Cotton Specialist Award of Merit.
Mullendore was preceded in death by his parents and by a sister, Ruth Gilmore (and an infant brother Joe Wilson). He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn; daughter Debbie (Tommy) Overcash of Madison, Ala; daughter Karen (Adrian) Blocker of Memphis, Tenn.; and son Mike (Ginny) Mullendore of Madison, Miss.; grandchildren Cameron (Destanie), Chandler (Sarah) and Mason (Ashley) Overcash; Cole and Clarke Blocker; Will and Katie Mullendore; great grandchildren Noah Catherine and Weston Pierce Overcash; sister Mary Ann (Hurston) Nicholas; sister-in-law Kay (Riley) Nelson; and brothers-in-law Clyde (Janice, deceased) Stanfield and Cecil Gilmore; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Nov. 16, at First United Methodist Church, Starkville, Miss., at 10 a.m. with the Reverends Giles Linley and Prentiss Gordon officiating.
Visitation will be held at Welch Funeral Home on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m., and on Friday, Nov. 16, in the sanctuary for one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery.
The family requests that memorial be made to Wounded Warriors and Palmer Home for Children.