Dr. John Guyton III

1951 - 2026

Dr. John William Guyton, III (74), passed March 8, 2026. John was also known as Jack by family, friends and classmates. Born to John William Guyton, Jr. and Dorothy Price Guyton in Starkville, MS on July 19, 1951, and having a grandfather also named John William Guyton, his parents called him Jack to avoid confusion.

John was a victim of polio in his early life having contracted it at the age of three and he succumbed to dementia in the latter years of life. In spite of the hardships polio presented, John was a master at achieving much through the years due to his determination, intelligence, and positive attitude.

He was active in Boy Scouts and received his status as an Eagle Scout. In 1969 he made a canoe trip with a group of scouts down the Tombigbee River from Columbus, MS to Mobile, AL.

John attended Mississippi State University where he received his Bachelors, Masters and PhD.

John retired from the MSU Department of Entomology in 2023. While there he enjoyed his work with Bug Camp, helping many young people enjoy learning about the environment and its inhabitants. He will also be remembered for his work with the Arthropod Zoo where many visitors were encouraged to hold a tarantula.

John had many collections, one of those being his rock collection which he donated to the Geology Museum at MSU.

John is survived by his wife of 38 years, Peggy Swain Guyton; three brothers:

Bobby (Beverley), Mark (Cheryl) and Charles (Amy); and several nieces and nephews.

John was a member of First United Methodist Church in Starkville, MS.

The family wishes to thank Starkville Manor Nursing Home and Gentiva Hospice for their care and attention during his last six months of battling dementia.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

You can leave the family a condolence at: www.welchfuneralhomes.com.