Dr. Malcolm Armstrong Cutchins, Sr.

Malcolm Armstrong Cutchins, Sr., “Mac” passed away September 12 peacefully in his home, losing his long battle with congestive heart failure and going home to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Born in 1935 in Franklin, Virginia, he was an Eagle Scout, three sport high school athlete (captain of the basketball team) and president of the student body.  Mac graduated from Virginia Tech in Civil Engineering and married Margaret Garwood in 1954.

After two Air Force engineering assignments and working at Lockheed, he returned to Virginia Tech and earned his PhD in Engineering Mechanics.  Auburn then recruited Mac where he taught in the Aerospace Engineering Department from 1966 until 1999.  During his illustrious teaching career at Auburn University, he performed research for NASA and the National Science Foundation among others, served as National President of Sigma Gamma Tau (national honor society for Aerospace Engineering), initiated 1000 members into ODK (National Leadership Honorary) as Faculty Secretary, and won many technical and teaching awards.  He also served on Auburn’s Graduate Council, the Athletic Committee and the Honors Council.  Mac frequently became close with his graduate aerospace students and some became future astronauts.

After Margaret, his beloved wife of 44 years passed away, he married Luanne Mount and they were married 12 years before she succumbed to cancer.  Mac then married his current wife, June Paterson, who has lovingly cared for him throughout these last few years.

Mac loved woodworking, playing golf, spending time with family, and most of all, Auburn sports.  Mac had football season tickets for 53 years, rarely missing a game.  Mac also enjoyed his lunchtime basketball games with fellow faculty, playing into his 76th year (his engineering brain calculated that he played over 16,000 games).  Mac also served on the Founder’s Board of Lee-Scott Academy.

Mac was also a writer, contributing over 860 Op/Eds in a conservative column for this newspaper.  Additionally, he published a chapter in the book, “The God Factor: 50 Scientists and Academics Explain why They Believe in God.”

While in Auburn, he served as a Deacon at Lakeview Baptist Church in the late 60’s, and later was an Elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA), where he taught the college class for 20 years. He served as an Elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Opelika.  In 2011, he joined Eastwood Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Montgomery. In recent years, he and June have attended the PCA church plant here in Auburn, Christ Presbyterian.

Survivors include his wife of more than 9 years, June Paterson Cutchins, two sons: Malcolm Armstrong Cutchins, Jr. of North Bend, Washington, Kelly MacLean Cutchins (Lynn) of Roswell, Georgia; a daughter, Leigh Ann Pierce (Jerry) of Elizabethtown, KY, and a step-daughter Charlotte Paterson Kennedy. Survivors also include 7 grandchildren; Benjamin Scout Pierce, Daniel Joseph Pierce, Samuel James Pierce, Thomas Bradley Pierce, Clinton Douglas Cutchins (Layne), Andrew Charles Cutchins, Courtney Eryn Cutchins, and a step-grandson Colin Kennedy. A daughter-in-law (Pat Kjar) resides in Hilton Head, SC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts to Eastwood Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Montgomery; or the “Malcolm Armstrong & Margaret Virginia Garwood & family“ endowed scholarship in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University, (36849), or to the  Aerospace Engineering Department at Auburn University.

Condolences may be shared on the Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home website.  The family will hold a private graveside service in Franklin, Virginia.