Dr. E. Corbin McGriff, Jr

E. Corbin McGriff, Jr, Ph.D., P.E., originally from the Panama Canal Zone (Republic of Panama) and founder of the first environmental engineering and analytical consulting firm in Mississippi, passed away at St. Dominic Hospital on September 6, 2023. He leaves his wife of 25 years, Faye Caldwell McGriff; his son, Everett Corbin McGriff, III (Trey); his daughter, Melissa Shannon (McGriff) Johnston and son in law, Stephen Johnston; grandchildren, Mary Hunter Johnston Vise, Bennett Johnston, Isabelle Johnston and Charlie Johnston; as well as step daughters, Angela Byers and husband Dr. Paul Byers; stepdaughter, Lori Byrd; brother, Gene McGriff (Saundra) of Dothan, Alabama and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Everett Corbin McGriff and Muriel Etta (Moore) McGriff; sister, Geri Davis; and grandson, Callaghan Byrd Byers.

Dr. McGriff was born in Gorgas Hospital, Anon, Canal Zone December 6, 1940, to Everett Corbin McGriff and Muriel Etta (Moore) McGriff and as part of a Navy family spent his formative years living on various naval station locations, including Newport, Rhode Island; Norfolk, Virginia; Annapolis, Maryland; Brownsville, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Canal Zone. After graduating from Balboa High School in the Canal Zone, Corbin joined the Navy and was stationed on the west coast aboard the destroyer U.S. Arnold J. Isbell, DD869 home-based in San Diego, California. As a radar man 3rd Class, he participated in training cruises to the far east including the ports of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines; Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hong Kong (British Crown Colony); and Midway Island. The Isbell was assigned patrol duty in the straits of Formosa before being called on a rescue mission saving 104 survivors from a sinking ferry off the southern tip of the Philippines in the South China Sea. As a reward for a job “well done”, the fleet commodore assigned the ship and crew to a month in Hong Kong, BCC.

After the Navy, he enrolled at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, with full veteran’s benefits and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and Fluid Mechanics. Immediately following graduation, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina and taught environmental engineering and fluid mechanics for a period of 2 years. He accepted a full fellowship to study for his doctorate at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas under Dr. Ross E. McKinney, a legendary environmental engineering educator and researcher. He conducted graduate research and wrote his doctoral dissertation on one of Dr. McKinney’s patented biological treatment processes called “Activated Algae.” Upon graduation, Dr. McGriff accepted a position as assistant professor of civil engineering at Mississippi State University where he taught and conducted research for a period of 3 years. He left MSU and relocated to Jackson, Mississippi where he started Environmental Protection Systems, Inc. (EPS) which was the first environmental engineering and analytical firm in Mississippi. He sold EPS in 1987 and moved to Atlanta as president and chief executive officer to run the company which had grown to 200 professionals and ten offices. After returning to Jackson in 1990, Dr. McGriff started his second environmental consulting business, Hazclean Environmental Consultants, Inc. and Argus Environmental Consultants, Inc. in 2019. He sold Argus Analytical, Inc. in 2011 and Hazclean Environmental Consultants, Inc. in 2019. Dr. McGriff was a professional engineer registered in multiple states and was recognized as an environmental engineering expert throughout the region.

Dr. McGriff enjoyed being an entrepreneur developing and selling environmental engineering and analytical businesses in addition to travelling and frequenting fine dining restaurants. Dr. McGriff was a great supporter of the arts in Jackson, including the IBC and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.

A visitation for Corbin will be held Monday, September 11, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland, Mississippi. A funeral service will follow at 2:30 PM at Parkway Funeral Home.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.parkwayfuneralhomeridgeland.com for the McGriff family.