Joseph "Joe" Terry Touchton

                Joe Touchton, son of Mary Nell and William Quarterman Touchton, born August 9, 1947, in Valdosta, GA, crossed the great divide on February 4 at his home in western Lee County, AL, under the loving care of his wife Gina and his sweet daughter, Maggie

Joe was a man of the land.  At an early age he, along with his dad and brothers, worked the family farm on White Water Road just south of Valdosta. Indeed, this good earth was his touchstone for the rest of his days. However, he did find his way to the water in 1970 when, after earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, he enlisted in the Navy. Joe served three years of active duty during the Vietnam War as a gunnery officer on ships patrolling the Northern Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean and Mediterranean seas. He continued to serve in the Naval Reserves until he was honorably discharged in 1987.

After his tour of duty, Joe came home to Georgia to earn his master’s degree at UGA and his PhD at the University of Illinois before beginning his career as a soil scientist at the Ag Experiment Station in Griffin, GA. In 1980, he was offered a position in Auburn University’s Dept. of Agronomy and Soils where he became nationally renowned for his cutting-edge research in sustainable agriculture and where he mentored hundreds of undergraduates and guided many a graduate student to successful careers in the world of agriculture.

In the late 80s, Joe was named Department Head in Agronomy and Soils and led his department for another 24 years until his retirement in 2013. During his tenure at Auburn, Joe always treated his faculty and staff with a fair and steady hand and supported them in both words and actions. For example, one year the university gave administrators a pay raise but neglected to provide one for staff members. Infuriated, Joe refused to accept his raise until he was guaranteed that his staff would receive one too. That’s the type of man he was.

                After leaving his family farm, Joe always dreamed of owning a tract of land where he could raise cows, grow a garden, and one day build a home. In 1985, that dream came true when he found the loveliest property this side of heaven where he and Gina worked together to build their forever home. They also hosted many exuberant parties— “Party like a Touchton” was a common refrain among their circle of friends—including fish fries, pig roasts, crawfish boils, and other celebrations of life and friendship during which Joe could always be found manning the fryer or the boiler with a beer in his hand while Gina cooked up delicious sides.

Though Joe rarely expressed his love and appreciation in words, his affection for family, friends, and community was evidenced in his actions: the piles of wood he chopped for the stove each winter; growing a cornucopia of vegetables in his huge garden, which he shared with friends and with the local food bank; raising catfish in the pond beside their home for those famous fish fries; shucking oysters for friends during their annual beach trip; and building a long ramp from their deck in 1994 so Gina could wheel her ailing father down to the pond’s edge. Joe departed his home for the very last time using that same ramp. He has come full circle.

               Joe is survived by his wife, Gina; daughter, Maggie (Aaron); siblings Bill, Gary (Susan), Roger (Liz), and Kathy; many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins; and countless friends who loved him dearly and always will.               

                In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Food Bank of East Alabama (355 Industry Drive, Auburn, AL 36832). And in honor of Joe, plant something you can eat and share with others this year.