Dr. John Rush Elkins, 78, of Beaver, WV, and a victim of Parkinson’s disease, passed away at Bowers Hospice House, in Beckley, WVon Monday, September 21, 2020. John graduated in 1959 from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley where he was a class valedictorian. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at West Virginia Tech in Montgomery, WV in 1963, and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at West Virginia University in 1966. He began his professional career as a member of the faculty at Bluefield State College, Bluefield, WV, and retired as Professor of Chemistry in 2000 after 29 years of service at Concord College (now University) in Athens, WV. His passion was the preparation of competitive students for post-graduate programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and academics, and he was widely recognized for his success.
John’s second passion was restoration of the American chestnut in hardwood forests of the eastern United States. He and his colleagues, Dr. Gary and Lucille Griffin, founded the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation, a nonprofit scientific and educational foundation, in 1986, and together they have pursued the development of blight-resistant all-American chestnut trees (www.accf-online.org). In recognition of this work, John was enshrined in the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame in 2001.
John was born on November 16, 1941, in Beckley to the late Delmas Elkins (1908-1983) and Willa Peters-Elkins (1905-1979). In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his sons, Jane Elizabeth Armstrong-Elkins (1945-1985) whom he marred on June 15, 1963 in Beckley, Raleigh County, WV (per WV Marriage License Register, Raleigh County, WV, 1963, Page 599, Application Date: June 5, 1963); and his sister, Nancy Ellen Elkins (1944–2015).
He is survived by his second wife, Joyce Foster-Elkins, whom he married in 1991; his sons, Perry John Elkins & wife Billie Follensbee-Elkins of Springfield, MO, and Gregory Lewis Elkins & wife Tracie Adams-Elkins of Suffolk, VA.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time. John’s remains will be interred in Roselawn Cemetery, Princeton, WV.
John’s second passion was restoration of the American chestnut in hardwood forests of the eastern United States. He and his colleagues, Dr. Gary and Lucille Griffin, founded the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation, a nonprofit scientific and educational foundation, in 1986, and together they have pursued the development of blight-resistant all-American chestnut trees (www.accf-online.org). In recognition of this work, John was enshrined in the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame in 2001.
John was born on November 16, 1941, in Beckley to the late Delmas Elkins (1908-1983) and Willa Peters-Elkins (1905-1979). In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his sons, Jane Elizabeth Armstrong-Elkins (1945-1985) whom he marred on June 15, 1963 in Beckley, Raleigh County, WV (per WV Marriage License Register, Raleigh County, WV, 1963, Page 599, Application Date: June 5, 1963); and his sister, Nancy Ellen Elkins (1944–2015).
He is survived by his second wife, Joyce Foster-Elkins, whom he married in 1991; his sons, Perry John Elkins & wife Billie Follensbee-Elkins of Springfield, MO, and Gregory Lewis Elkins & wife Tracie Adams-Elkins of Suffolk, VA.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time. John’s remains will be interred in Roselawn Cemetery, Princeton, WV.
Dr. John Rush Elkins, 78, of Beaver, WV, and a victim of Parkinson’s disease, passed away at Bowers Hospice House, in Beckley, WVon Monday, September 21, 2020. John graduated in 1959 from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley where he was a class valedictorian. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at West Virginia Tech in Montgomery, WV in 1963, and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at West Virginia University in 1966. He began his professional career as a member of the faculty at Bluefield State College, Bluefield, WV, and retired as Professor of Chemistry in 2000 after 29 years of service at Concord College (now University) in Athens, WV. His passion was the preparation of competitive students for post-graduate programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and academics, and he was widely recognized for his success.
John’s second passion was restoration of the American chestnut in hardwood forests of the eastern United States. He and his colleagues, Dr. Gary and Lucille Griffin, founded the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation, a nonprofit scientific and educational foundation, in 1986, and together they have pursued the development of blight-resistant all-American chestnut trees (www.accf-online.org). In recognition of this work, John was enshrined in the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame in 2001.
John was born on November 16, 1941, in Beckley to the late Delmas Elkins (1908-1983) and Willa Peters-Elkins (1905-1979). In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his sons, Jane Elizabeth Armstrong-Elkins (1945-1985) whom he marred on June 15, 1963 in Beckley, Raleigh County, WV (per WV Marriage License Register, Raleigh County, WV, 1963, Page 599, Application Date: June 5, 1963); and his sister, Nancy Ellen Elkins (1944–2015).
He is survived by his second wife, Joyce Foster-Elkins, whom he married in 1991; his sons, Perry John Elkins & wife Billie Follensbee-Elkins of Springfield, MO, and Gregory Lewis Elkins & wife Tracie Adams-Elkins of Suffolk, VA.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time. John’s remains will be interred in Roselawn Cemetery, Princeton, WV.
John’s second passion was restoration of the American chestnut in hardwood forests of the eastern United States. He and his colleagues, Dr. Gary and Lucille Griffin, founded the American Chestnut Cooperators’ Foundation, a nonprofit scientific and educational foundation, in 1986, and together they have pursued the development of blight-resistant all-American chestnut trees (www.accf-online.org). In recognition of this work, John was enshrined in the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame in 2001.
John was born on November 16, 1941, in Beckley to the late Delmas Elkins (1908-1983) and Willa Peters-Elkins (1905-1979). In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his sons, Jane Elizabeth Armstrong-Elkins (1945-1985) whom he marred on June 15, 1963 in Beckley, Raleigh County, WV (per WV Marriage License Register, Raleigh County, WV, 1963, Page 599, Application Date: June 5, 1963); and his sister, Nancy Ellen Elkins (1944–2015).
He is survived by his second wife, Joyce Foster-Elkins, whom he married in 1991; his sons, Perry John Elkins & wife Billie Follensbee-Elkins of Springfield, MO, and Gregory Lewis Elkins & wife Tracie Adams-Elkins of Suffolk, VA.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time. John’s remains will be interred in Roselawn Cemetery, Princeton, WV.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
