Dr. J. Roy Black, age 78, of Okemos, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Dr. Lois J. Karl of Okemos. He was born in Great Falls, Montana, and earned his undergraduate degree from Montana State University. He earned his PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Minnesota and joined the faculty of the Agricultural Food and Resource Economics Department at Michigan State University (MSU) in 1970, where he spent his entire academic career.
Professor Black held a three-way academic appointment at MSU in extension, teaching, and research. For over 25 years of his career he was involved in crop insurance research, both nationally and internationally. He developed a novel approach to crop risk analysis for which he received national recognition. He won numerous academic awards and was especially recognized for his ability to solve applied (real world) economic problems facing farmers. Roy was a wonderful resource for all his colleagues, inside and outside of his department, and will be remembered especially for helping students recognize that real world problems, unlike homework assignments, often have no one right solution.
He will be missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.
No memorial service will be held.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18