John Eubank's Obituary
Dr. John Y. Eubank Jr., a Collierville resident, died on March 22, 2010 at his home after a brief illness. He was 77. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor G. Eubank of Collierville; a son, Jay and his wife Kelly, of Raleigh, N.C. and a daughter, Ellen, of Memphis. He is also survived by two grandsons, John Y. Eubank IV (Jack) and Anthony Wiley Eubank (Wiley), also of Raleigh, N.C. John was devoted to his faith and family, always putting his wife and children and their wellbeing first. He was a longtime member of Christ United Methodist Church and greatly treasured his friendships with members of the Lamplighters Sunday School Class. He had a dry sense of humor and loved to tell a good story. He was unpretentious enough to be comfortable wearing a pair of bib overalls emblazoned on the backside with The Dean. He loved squirrel hunting and was particularly proud of his Christmas Eve tradition of making Brunswick Stew, complete with the bounty of his squirrel hunting efforts. John was born on Jan. 1, 1933 and grew up in rural Tipton County in the Charleston community. He was predeceased by his parents, John Y. Eubank Sr. and Amelia Beaty Eubank of Covington, Tenn. He also was predeceased by his brother, Rodney Beaty Eubank of Brighton, Tenn. John’s adventurous spirit took over after his graduation from Byars-Hall High School in Covington. During summers he did everything from driving a dump truck in Tipton County to measuring cotton to working in a sardine canning factory in Chicago. He arrived in Memphis in 1950 with only a suitcase in hand to attend Memphis State University. He graduated with a B.S. in 1954 and after graduation served in the U.S. Army. During most of his enlistment he served in Japan. He returned to be principal at Phelan Elementary School, the primary school he attended while growing up in the Charleston community. He traveled to upstate Michigan to teach at Centerville High School for one year before coming back to be principal at Phelan again. He also taught history and English at Byars-Hall High School. While teaching there he also received a M.A. from Memphis State. In 1962 he married Eleanor and they enjoyed 47 years of marriage. John’s blood had a distinct Reflex Blue tint and he was true Tiger at heart. He will proudly tell you he first attended basketball games at the Field House and continued as a season ticket holder at the Mid-South Coliseum, the Pyramid and FedEx Forum. He loved Memphis State and spent the majority of his career working there. He began in 1961 as Director of Field Services and Director of Financial Aid. In 1964 he became Director of Admissions and in 1966 was named Associate Dean, Admissions and Records. In 1968 he received a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. In 1969 John was named Dean of Admissions and Records at Memphis State, a position he held until 1993. He retired in 1994 after serving a year as Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Services and Vice President for Student Services. His leadership efforts included being president of the Tennessee Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers in 1973. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the American College Testing Program from 1987-1993. In retirement John enjoyed a cup of coffee and the company of friends at Gibson’s Donuts and Mrs. Winner’s in Memphis and at the Krystal in Collierville. He loved to take his beloved basset hounds Maggie, Elvis and Molly on walks at W.C. Johnson Park. Memorials may be made in John’s memory to Christ United Methodist Church. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Baptist-Trinity Hospice and to Dorothy Brooks and Renondia Patterson for their compassion and care.
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