Wayne McCully , 89, of Bryan, passed away Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at Crestview Retirement Community. Services are set for 10 a.m. Saturday, February 26, at Callaway-Jones Funeral Home in Bryan. Dr. Bob Leslie will officiate. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time on Saturday at the funeral home. There will be a private entombment.
Wayne was a professor of Range Science. He received his M.S. in Range Management and his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Texas A&M University. He served as Range Scientist and Head of the Department of Vegetation Management, Texas Transportation Institute, at Texas A&M University as well as Professor and Interim Head of the Department of Range Science at Texas A&M University. Wayne was also Resident Director of the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in Vernon. He was a member of the Society for Range Management, American Society of Plant Physiologists, American Society of Range Management, Weed Science Society of America and the Society of Sigma XI. Wayne held many publications including technical journal papers, significant reports and contributions to books.
Wayne was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Bryan. He was a veteran having served in the Army as First Lieutenant and Executive Officer. Wayne was a Rotarian, a member of the 12th Man, and an avid Aggie supporter.
He was preceded in death by his wife Florence “Pinky” McCully.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the charity of your choice.
I remember Dr. McCully when I was a member of the Society for Range Management. My husband Harold worked with Dr. McCully in the Range Science Department, Texas A & M. Jan Wiedemann
My prayers are with all the friends and family. May God comfort all during this time.
Dr. McCully and I were colleagues at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) for 30+ years. To me, the heighth of his professional career was aptly described by Rev. Bob Leslie in remarks at Wayne’s funeral service this morning.
Rev. Leslie pointed out that Wayne McCully was the intellectual founding father of the now common use of native plants (especially bluebonnets and other wildflowers) to adorn and manage the vegetation along Texas roadways. Dr. McCully’s research guided the development of the desired wildflower seed mixes for various soil conditions in the rights-of-way. And, most importantly, he encouraged reduced mowing operations during critical times of the plant growing cycles.
Every spring in Texas, we each and all see and comment on the beauty that decorates the land alongside our roads……
Dr. Wayne McCully deserves much of the honor, credit, and our thanks for this annual improvement in our lives.