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News and Event Releases > Former Dean of Students Remembered

Former Dean of Students Remembered

John H. Christmas, a Millsaps alumnus who served as dean of students and as vice president of admissions and student affairs, died April 27 in Jackson.

A memorial service is scheduled on April 29 at 3 p.m. at Madison United Methodist Church. Visitation will be at the church on April 29 from 1 p.m. until the start of the service.

Christmas was born in Laurel on Nov. 28, 1925 to James Y. and Lucille Christmas. He was a graduate of Vicksburg Carr Central High School. He attended Louisiana State University and graduated from Millsaps College in 1948. At Millsaps, he played football and basketball and was a member of the M Club and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

He received a master's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and did advanced studies at LSU. He was a counselor and football coach at Laurel High School.
He became dean of students at Millsaps in 1961.In 1964-1965, Christmas along with Dean Frank Laney and Business Manager J.H. Wood were assigned to run the College for about six months between the terms of Dr. Homer Ellis Finger Jr. and Dr. Benjamin Graves.

Christmas was named vice president of admissions and student affairs of the College in 1985. He retired after 30 years of service to the College.

Ronald Goodbread of Falls Church Va., Millsaps Class of 1966, said he was among students fortunate to have known Christmas.

"He was at once a rock and a star. His imposing presence was our lighthouse in things temporal, and he was our North Star in guidance for things moral. The dean was that rare combination of both strength and compassion.

"As imposing as a bronze statue, he was not, however, hollow in his enduring strength. Rather, within beat strongly a heart sympathetic to all who came under his aegis. He never failed us. When we were wrong he sternly told us so, while at the same time gently directing us to the path of righteousness. He listened to our opinions, doubled our triumphs, and halved our sorrows."

The 1965 Bobashela honored Christmas with these words:

"He is the man who commands the respect of all, whether he is joking with friends in the grill or seriously counseling a student concerning some academic or social problem. He is the man whom the girls adopt as their 'father away from home.' He is a brother to the boys. Few have achieved the sincere respect and immense popularity that this man has.

"Every new day brings many surprises from the student body, but he is patient. In ways which we cannot trace he guides us from our first day through graduation. He sees each of us as 'promising products' of society, even though w do not as yet have final coats of paint and varnish. He wants only the best for us and is satisfied with only the best from us."

Christmas is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara; son, Chris and his wife, Dana; daughter, Karen; and granddaughter, Annie; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be made to the John H. Christmas Scholarship fund at Millsaps College.