In Memoriam: Dr. Terry L. Amburgey

Terry L. Amburgey, Ph. D., longtime professor at Mississippi State University (MSU) known for his work in wood protection, passed away on April 1, at 80.

Amburgey served as a professor in the MSU College of Forest Resources for more than 30 years. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and his doctoral degree at North Carolina State University.

Amburgey’s career in wood protection spanned more than 50 years, and his research has contributed to improvements within the railway tie industry and beyond. In 2014, the Railway Tie Association, or RTA, executive committee gave Terry Amburgey, a Giles Distinguished Professor, the 2014 Award of Merit for his contribution to the industry. The award is given at the executive committee’s discretion and has been awarded only two other times since the association was formed in 1919.

According to an MSU press release, Amburgey helped increase the lifespan of railway crossties from eight to 15 years to more than 25 years. At the onset of his research in the early 1980s, he observed that crossties were vulnerable to fungi and insect damage even during the production phase. Amburgey discovered that treating crossties with borates during the air drying process protected the wood from pests

As noted in his obituary, Amburgey's graduate students have made significant contributions to their chosen fields of employment. His professorship at Mississippi State was preceded by 10 years with the USDA Forest Service in Gulfport, Mississippi, as a Research Wood Decay Specialist.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 7, at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in Bradley, Miss., with Rev. Mike Sanders officiating. Visitation will be the day of the service from 9:30 a.m. until service time at the church. Interment will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 8 at Long Beach City Cemetery in Long Beach, Miss., with Rev. Mike Sanders officiating.