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1701 North State Street Jackson, MS 39210-0001 (800)352-1050 (601)974-1000
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Billy Marshall Bufkin, emeritus professor of modern languages who retired from Millsaps in August 1991, died Feb. 4, 2009 in Fremont, Calif. He was 83 years old.
He taught Spanish at Millsaps for 31 years. He served as chair of the Romance Languages Department from 1967 until 1980 and as chair of the Modern Languages Department from 1980 until his retirement.
A native of Texas, he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas Tech University. He pursued graduate studies at Tulane University in New Orleans. He spent a year studying at the University of Madrid in Spain. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War.
Bufkin's interest in Spanish began when his family moved to New Mexico when he was in the fourth grade, and he dreamed of visiting Mexico City.
At Millsaps, he was instrumental in the establishment of Sigma Delta Pi, the Spanish international honorary, and Phi Eta Sigma, the national freshman academic honorary.
Dr. Robert Kahn, associate professor of romance languages at Millsaps, said Bufkin was chair of the department when he joined the faculty in 1976.
"He was very enthusiastic and lived life to the fullest," he said. "I was always amazed at the amount of traveling he did. It seemed as though he went on a major trip every year. He especially enjoyed going to countries where Spanish was spoken. As a teacher of Spanish, he was enthusiastic about every aspect of Hispanic culture."
Dr. Richard Freis, emeritus professor of classics and Heritage Program director from 1975-1980, 1981-1982, 1985-1988 and co-director with Dr. Charles Sallis from 1991-1992, said Bufkin was known for giving the Heritage Program lecture on Don Quixote.
"He always read it freshly, but never changed a word or witticism, so for the faculty at the back of the Heritage room it gave the comforting satisfaction of listening to a traditional prayer or of a child hearing a well-known story," he said. "I miss him."
Dr. Elaine M. Coney, B.A. 1974, who teaches at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, said she is grateful to have had Bufkin as her adviser and professor.
"I suspect that if I had had another adviser, he or she might have strongly suggested that I change to another major. Professor Bufkin remained my adviser. He must have seen my potential when I probably did not. Although my best could have been much better, he encouraged me to do my best. From heaven, he is beaming to know I have become a better teacher and better adviser because of him," she said.
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