Roll Call Tribute

Jon Enrique "Jonny" Windham 

January 30, 1942 - October 8, 2024 

Jon Enrique Windham passed away on October 8, 2024, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Jon was born on January 30, 1942, in Amory, Mississippi as the oldest child of the late Mary Helen Vance Windham and John Enrique Windham. Jon’s family moved to Hattiesburg in 1956, and Jon played baseball and football at Hattiesburg Junior High and High School. After his senior season, in 1959, Jon was named to the first team All-Big Eight Team and was named the outstanding lineman in the Big Eight Conference.

After graduating from Hattiesburg High School, Jon accepted a football scholarship to Mississippi State University (MSU) and played on the MSU freshman team in 1960 and the MSU Varsity in 1961 – 1963. In Jon’s senior season, he was named co-captain of the football team and was co-captain of the 1963 Liberty Bowl Champions. Following his senior season, Jon played in the Blue-Grey Game in Montgomery, Alabama. After playing football at MSU, Jon became a graduate assistant coach from September 1964 through May 1966 at MSU.

At MSU, Jon studied Civil Engineering. He graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1965 and completed course work for a master’s degree in Civil Engineering in May 1966. In June 1966, Jon went to work at the Waterways Experiment Station (WES) with the stipulation that Jon would be given the opportunity to work on and complete a master’s thesis. Jon completed his master’s thesis and obtained his master’s degree from MSU in January 1967. The Waterways Experiment Station sent Jon to Texas A&M in September of 1968 through September of 1969 to complete PhD course work in Civil Engineering. Jon then worked on a WES project and completed his PhD dissertation thus obtaining a PhD degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1973.

Jon had a long career with WES, later renamed The Engineering and Research Development Center (ERDC), that lasted from June 1966 to January 2009. In January 2009, Jon became a consultant and worked for various contractors supporting the ERDC; Impact and Explosion Effects Branch (IEEB) through November 22, 2020. On November 23, 2020, Jon became a retired annuitant for the ERDC-IEEB. In 2015, Jon received the highest award that ERDC gives their employees when he was inducted into the WES Gallery of Distinguished Civilian Employees.

Jon was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg, MS. Jon is survived by his wife of 36 years, Marianne; son Jon Martin (Jonna) Windham, step-daughter Andrea Austin (Scott) Mathis; six grandchildren Wes (Halie) Windham, Blake (Savannah) Windham, Drew (Mary Howell) Windham, Addison Mathis (Nik), Sydney Mathis and Cameron Mathis; great-grandchildren Ben and Emma Kate Windham and Charlotte and Elizabeth Windham; sisters Beverly Blasingame of Madison, MS and Brynda Creel of McComb, MS; brother-in-law Bill Strub of Yazoo City, MS along with four nieces and two nephews.

A graveside service will be held for family at Greenlawn Cemetery with Glenwood Funeral Home in charge and Reverend Tim Brown officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mississippi State University Bulldog Club or the American Cancer Society.