The Association of Retired Faculty at Mississippi State paid special tribute in August to one of its own, a former dean recently chosen to receive one of the university's first honorary doctoral degrees.

The program honored Harry C.F. Simrall, dean emeritus of the College of Engineering, and his wife, Mary Virginia.

Simrall, who retired in 1978, is an MSU alumnus who had a 44-year teaching and administrative career at his alma mater. He also completed graduate work at the University of Illinois.

In May, he joined fellow MSU alumni John H. Bryan Jr. and Leo W. Seal Jr. as the institution's first recipients of honorary degrees since the Board of Trustees allowed the tributes last year.