BEN DAVID FUQUA

Ben David Fuqua, 81, died in Tulsa, Okla., on Sunday, March 17, 2024.  He was born Feb. 16, 1943, in Graves County, Ky. to the late Ben D. and Edith Mae Fuqua.
He graduated from Farmington High School, Class of 1961.  On June 9, 1962, he married Janis Ruth Andrus and they were blessed with nearly 51 years of marriage at the time of her death.
He retired from Missouri State University as a Professor of Soil Science and is credited as the father of the blueberry industry in Missouri. He was a member of Schweitzer Methodist Church and the Homebuilders Class.
He is survived by his children Allyson (Scott) Nicholson North Pole, Alaska and Alicia Farris (Matt Stevens) of Skiatook, Okla.; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; his sister, Cindy Dunn pf Murray, Ky.; sisters-in-law, Pat Andrus of Sanford, N.C. and Jan Andrus of Orlando, Fla.; as well as a large number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Janis Fuqua; his parents; his brother and sister-in-law John and Elizabeth Fuqua; his brother-in-law, Bob Dunn; and son-in-law, Aaron Farris.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, at Greenlawn Funeral Home East.  The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 22, in Schweitzer United Church with Pastors Clayton Smith and Sheila Pippin presiding. Burial will be in Farmington Cemetery in Farmington, Ky.
The family request donations be made to the Ben and Janis Fuqua Agricultural Scholarship Fund at MSU Foundation.