Michael Steve Fountain

Dr. Michael Steve Fountain, born November 16th, 1947, finished his fight with Parkinson’s at 12:07 AM on May 4th, 2024 at 76 years, 5 months, and 18 days of age. He was born in Center, Texas to Joan Cridland Fountain and James Doyle Fountain, and passed away in Nacogdoches, Texas surrounded by his wife and two sons.

As an undergraduate, Mike transferred from Sam Houston State University to SFA in the fall of 1968. He went on to graduate with a BSF in forest recreation management in May 1970 and stayed on for graduate study, receiving his master’s in August 1972. He was the “first second-generation graduate in forestry from SFA” as his father had graduated with the same bachelor’s degree in 1951. Following his master’s degree he entered the Ph.D. program at SFA — but interrupted his graduate studies to take a job marking timber in the Plumas National Forest in California. During this time he managed some of the same forests that had originally been marked by his father, an experience which helped cement his lifelong connection to the woods. A few years later, in 1977, he returned to complete his Ph.D, this time at West Virginia University.

Inspired by his experience as a graduate teaching assistant at SFA and WVU he subsequently devoted his life to teaching forestry. After a short interlude at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, he arrived at SFA in 1981 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1987, full professor in 1993, and eventually honored as the Laurence C. Walker Distinguished Professor in 2000. From 2000 to 2009 he served as associate dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, eventually retiring from SFA in 2010 after serving a final year in 2009 as the interim dean.

As an undergraduate in 1969 he was inducted into Xi Sigma Pi, the honor society for excellence in forestry and natural resource management. As an educator, in 1996 (and again in 2004) he received the Teaching Excellence Award from SFA, and as a professional forester in 1997 he was recognized by the US Forest Service for meritorious service to National Forests in Texas. In 2007 he was named a Fellow by the Society of American Foresters, and in 2008 he received the Distinguished Professor Award from the SFA Alumni Association. Despite these and many other professional achievements, his proudest accomplishment was serving as the faculty advisor to the Sylvans Forestry Club at SFA from 1981 until his retirement in 2010.

Forestry at SFA defined Mike in other ways; in July of 1983 he married his wife Marsha Faye Rooks, whom he met on the steps of the college of forestry that previous winter — and to whom he was married for 41 happy, loving years. He was the father of two boys — Jeff Fountain, currently of Pasadena, Texas, and Trevor Fountain, currently of Baildon, England. He loved baseball and card collecting, and passed on his passion for the Houston Astros to his older son Jeff. He was happiest outdoors and in the woods, whether teaching, hunting, or merely walking among the trees, and was an lifetime outdoorsman and hunter. He harvested many turkeys, migratory birds, deer, and elk — frequently accompanied by family, current & former students, friends, or his longtime hunting partner Montague Whiting.

Mike is survived by his wife Marsha, and his two sons Jeff and Trevor, along with Jeff’s wife Jennifer, their three children — Jayden, Julianna, and James — and Trevor’s wife Tamsin and their son Fox. He is also survived by his two brothers, Trevor and Gordon Fountain, one sister, Gloria Hein, nine nieces and nephews, and too many extended Fountain cousins to enumerate here.

A memorial service will be held in his honor at his home (in “Fountain’s Forest” at 1881 FM 2112, Nacogdoches, TX) at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 19th, with an open invitation to all who knew and were influenced by him. Bring a lawn chair and stories to share; we’ll serve hot dogs afterwards (the Sylvans among you will understand), and there may be a quiz.