Johnie Norton Jenkins was born November 3, 1934, in Phillips County Arkansas, and died February 9, 2026. He was valedictorian of his high school class, graduated from the University of Arkansas, and received his MS and PhD degrees from Purdue University in plant genetics.

Johnie began his career with the United States Department of Agriculture and moved to Starkville in 1961, to work in the boll weevil eradication program. Johnie was the former director of the Crop Science Research Laboratory for the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an adjunct professor of crop science and member of the graduate faculty at MSU. He retired in 2025 as a Distinguished Senior Scientist. Internationally recognized, Johnie was a leader in the field of cotton research. He was a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Johnie received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Plant Breeders. He was the recipient of the Crop Genetics Award (1972), the Mobay Cotton Research Award (1985), the ARS Outstanding Scientist Award (1992), the USDA Superior Service Award (1996), and the first Verdant Partners International Crop Genetics Award (2000). Johnie was proud to be inducted into both the USDA/ARS Hall of Fame (2006), and the Cotton Incorporated Hall of Fame (2019). Johnie was awarded both the Meritorious Senior Professional Presidential Rank Award and the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, the highest awards given to civilian employees of the U.S. Government. He received the Samuel J Hayman service to America medal in 2025.

Johnie was a faithful member of the Starkville Church of Christ, where he served as a Bible class teacher for college students and adults for over 60 years. He was instrumental in the founding of the University Christian Student Center, along with other men of the congregation who believed that young Christians needed a place to be in fellowship with other students. He was appointed a deacon in 1967, and became an elder in 1973, and continued to serve in this role until 2024.

Johnie married Diane Hoffman in 1959, and they were married for 52 years. They enjoyed traveling and spent many happy years together camping with their daughters and seeing the world. Johnie was preceded in death by his wife, Diane, his parents, John and Hattie Jenkins, a sister, Joyce Roberts, and a brother, David Jenkins. He is survived by his daughter June Jenkins Weaver, and son in law John, daughter Jean Jenkins, and granddaughter Lauren Weaver.

Memorial donations can be made to the Johnie and Diane Jenkins Endowed Academic Scholarship of Freed -Hardeman University, 158 East Main Street, Henderson TN 38340. https://fhu.edu/give/

Visitation will be held Friday, February 13, 2026, from 1:30 until 3:00 at the Starkville Church of Christ, with the funeral to follow at 3:00. Burial will be at Memorial Garden Park Cemetery.

You can leave the family a condolence at www. welchfuneralhomes.com.