Dr. Edward L. McMillan, former Vice-President for Graduate and Special Programs and Professor of History at Mississippi College Emeritus, died May 24th, 2018 at Beau Ridge Memory Care in Ridgeland, MS. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 29th, 5-7pm at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home in Clinton, MS. Services will be Wednesday, May 30th, 11:00 am, with visitation from 10-11 am, at First Baptist Church Clinton. Burial will follow at the Clinton Cemetery.

Dr. McMillan grew up in Attala County and graduated from Kosciusko High school. He received his BA from Mississippi College, his MA from the University of Mississippi and his PhD from Texas Tech University. He taught for a decade, 1950-60, at Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, TX; twelve years, 1961-72, at Louisiana College, Pineville, LA; and at Mississippi College for thirty-one years from 1973 to 2004. He served as Chair of the History and Political Science Department and then as Vice President of Graduate Studies and Special Programs.

He developed and directed the Plains American Heritage program in Texas while serving as Professor of History at Wayland Baptist University. At Louisiana College, he served two years as Dean of the College and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science. He was elected President of the Conference of Louisiana Colleges and Universities. He also served as Faculty Advisor for both Alpha Chi and Alpha Psi Omega, both National Honor Societies.

During his tenure at Mississippi College he chaired the Triple Anniversary Steering Committee directed the College Self-Study for SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), he served as a member of SACS Reaffirmation Committee for five institutions, and directed the MC Presidential Inaugural Committee in 1995. He was listed in Who's Who in South and Southwest, Outstanding Educators; Who's Who in America, Personalities in the South, American Scholars; and Who's Who in Education.

He and his wife, Carnette McMillan, developed and directed the annual London Semester Program, and in 1990, introduced the Spring Break International Study Program. When they concluded the directorship of these continuing programs, more than 750 participants had traveled abroad under their care.

In the community, he served as President of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and was subsequently elected Clinton's Outstanding Citizen. As a member of the Lions Club International he was an active participant for more than fifty years including the Jackson Central and Clinton Clubs serving in a variety of leadership roles.

At First Baptist Church Clinton he served as Deacon for almost three decades, Chaired the Steering Committee for the Sesquicentennial Anniversary in 2002, chaired the Deacon Council twice, served on the Finance Committee, served as a Trustee, and volunteered as a Sunday School Teacher.

Dr. McMillan is survived by his wife of 67 years, Carnette Rackley McMillan; sister, Martha Ann Thweatt of Kosciusko; half-brothers Lester McMillan of Sallis and Henry Hutchison of Kosciusko; children David McMillan of Front Royal, VA and Dale (Karon) McMillan of Clinton; and grandchildren Wendy (Jay) Lomenick, Jason (Susanna) McMillan, David (Kellye) McMillan, Jr., Bradley McMillan and Ryan McMillan and great grandchildren Harper, Spencer and Reed Lomenick.

Memorials may be made to the McMillan Foreign Studies Scholarship at Mississippi College.