Dr. Gregory Lee Mullins, 53, of Las Cruces, NM, formerly of Blacksburg, VA passed away July 18, 2009. He was at home in Las Cruces, NM with dear loved ones. Dr. Mullins was born on December 12, 1955, in Manassas, VA.
He was the son of the late Tenil Mullins and is survived by his mother Winnie Haynes Mullins. Dr. Mullins is survived by his wife, Iris Clay Mullins; son and daughter-in-law, Tenil and Lauren Mullins of Parrish, FL, daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Nathan Mutispaugh, of Atlanta, GA, sisters, Audrey Powers, Judy Hobson, and Catherine Hale; and brothers, Rodney Mullins and Gary Mullins. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, colleagues, students, and members of his church family.
Dr. Mullins attended Berea College for his Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Virginia Tech for his Master's in Soil Chemistry/Soil Fertility, and Purdue University for his PhD in Soil/Chemistry/Soil Fertility. He served as a professor at Auburn University and Virginia Tech, and he served most recently as Department Head of Plant and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University.
Dr. Mullins was a member of the American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Soil and Water Conservation Society of America, Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma XI, and Phi Kappi Phi. He was a Fellow in the Soil Science Society of America and a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy. He has served as the Associate Editor and Technical Editor for the Soil Science Society of America Journal. He has received awards for research, teaching, service, and extension. He served as major professor for many Masters and PhD Graduate Students at Auburn University and Virginia Tech.
Dr. Mullins was a marathon runner and enjoyed training and running marathons with his daughter,son-in-law, and friends. He was a member of the Virginia Tech Scholarship Runners who ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC in October 2007. He ran in the Batan Marathon in Las Cruces, NM, the Leadville Marathon in Leadville, Colorado, and the Richmond VA Marathon. Dr. Mullins enjoyed hiking, fishing, hunting, woodworking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. He and his son had common interests in football, fresh water fishing, boating, and deep sea fishing. His favorite football teams included the Raiders, Auburn, and Virginia Tech.
Dr. Mullins was a member of East Mesa Baptist Church in Las Cruces, NM. He has served as a deacon, church training director, Sunday school director, and teacher in churches where he has lived, including Parkway Baptist Church in Auburn, AL, Blacksburg Baptist, Blacksburg, VA, and Cambria Baptist Church, Christiansburg, VA. He was a member of the Gideons International and has provided delivery of Gideon Bibles to remote areas of Haiti. He was a person of faith and conviction who offered the gift of that heritage to his children, students, and friends.
The family will receive friends on Friday, July 24, from 5 until 8 pm at the Horne Funeral Home, Christiansburg, VA. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, July 25, at Cambria Baptist Church, Christiansburg, VA with Dr. Tom Harvey officiating. Interment will follow the service at Westview Cemetery in Blacksburg, VA.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to a church of your choice or the Greg and Iris Mullins Scholarship at New Mexico State University. Make checks payable to: NMSU Foundation with Mullins Scholarship in the memo line to Mark Gladden, NMSU Development, P.O. Box 30003, NMSC 3AG, Las Cruces, NM 88003.