James B. McCollum

Published 11:28 am Monday, October 28, 2019

James B. McCollum

October 25, 2019

James B. McCollum, 88, of Columbus, Georgia passed away on Friday, October 25, 2019.

A funeral service was held on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at Parkhill Cemetery, Chapel of Pines Mausoleum.

James B. McCollum was born in 1931 in Climax, Georgia to the late Ernestine and J. P. McCollum. He grew up in Bainbridge, Ga.

He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Georgia Tech and was commissioned into the Navy, serving aboard the U.S.S. Yarnall.

He married Faye Wright on June 11, 1961 in Carrollton, Ga.

Initially employed at Southwire, he moved to New Orleans and graduated from Tulane University with a Ph.D. in economics. He became a professor at Georgia Tech and later joined a Troy State University program, teaching college courses to military personnel in England, Germany, and Italy.

In 1976, Dr. McCollum joined the faculty at Columbus College. His carefully tailored economics lectures helped students understand this complex subject. He served as interim dean of the business school for a year and won the Faculty Service Award in 1986. He continued to serve as head of the economics department until he retired.

Dr. McCollum was a lifelong learner who enjoyed reading about technology, math, history, nutrition, and more.

A dear husband, father, and brother, Dr. McCollum will be greatly missed by his family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Faye McCollum.

He leaves his loving daughter and son-in-law, Shawn and  Stephen Worth, Columbus, Ga; brother, John McCollum, Scottsdale, Az; and other relatives to cherish his loving memory.