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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Great Bull Churchwell Passes Away
1/25/2010 | Football
LEAKESVILLE, Miss. - Ole Miss lost another sports legend Friday, Jan. 22, with the passing of Donnis H. "Bull" Churchwell, 73, at Greene County Hospital in Leakesville.
Services were held Monday, Jan. 25, at Freeman Funeral Home, with Rev. Jimmy Holcomb officiating. Interment was at Antioch Cemetery in Leakesville. Churchwell, an offensive and defensive interior lineman, earned two letters (1957-58) while playing for Coach John Vaught and was a member of squads which defeated Texas (39-7) in the Jan. 1, 1958 Sugar Bowl and Florida (7-3) in the Dec. 27, 1958 Gator Bowl. During Churchwell's three varsity seasons (1956-58), Ole Miss compiled a 25-6-1 overall record. In the Gator Bowl win over Florida, Churchwell came up with one of the game's biggest plays when he forced Gator quarterback Jimmy Dunn to fumble and then recovered the ball at the Ole Miss 15-yard line with 3:10 remaining. The Rebels then ran out the clock to nail down the victory. Following his senior season, Churchwell participated in the 1959 Chicago All-Star Game against the defending National Football League Champion Baltimore Colts and the 1959 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Churchwell was voted the Senior Bowl's Outstanding Lineman for the South squad. After being selected in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, Churchwell played offensive tackle that season with the Washington Redskins before ending his professional career in 1960 as a member of the American Football League Oakland Raiders. Churchwell (6-0, 220) signed with Ole Miss out of George County High School in Lucedale, Miss., becoming the first Rebel signee ever from George County. He earned three prep football letters and was a standout in the 1955 Mississippi High School All-Star Game. As the heaviest lineman at Ole Miss during that period, Churchwell combined size, strength and speed to excel on both offense and defense. He played middle guard on defense in 1957, but Vaught needed his skills at defensive tackle his senior season and Churchwell made the transition with ease. Born May 11, 1936 in Leakesville, Churchwell is survived by his three daughters, Sherry Eubanks of Lucedale, Penny (Allen) McLeod of Lucedale and Kimbie (Trae) Taylor of Leakesville; one son, Nathaniel Churchwell of Leakesville; a sister, Shirley Massey of Escatawpa, Miss.; a brother, Rush Churchwell of Leakesville; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Roberts Churchwell; his mother, Lois Fagan Churchwell; his father, Rush Churchwell, his step-father, Robert Fagan and his brother, Dervern Churchwell.
Services were held Monday, Jan. 25, at Freeman Funeral Home, with Rev. Jimmy Holcomb officiating. Interment was at Antioch Cemetery in Leakesville. Churchwell, an offensive and defensive interior lineman, earned two letters (1957-58) while playing for Coach John Vaught and was a member of squads which defeated Texas (39-7) in the Jan. 1, 1958 Sugar Bowl and Florida (7-3) in the Dec. 27, 1958 Gator Bowl. During Churchwell's three varsity seasons (1956-58), Ole Miss compiled a 25-6-1 overall record. In the Gator Bowl win over Florida, Churchwell came up with one of the game's biggest plays when he forced Gator quarterback Jimmy Dunn to fumble and then recovered the ball at the Ole Miss 15-yard line with 3:10 remaining. The Rebels then ran out the clock to nail down the victory. Following his senior season, Churchwell participated in the 1959 Chicago All-Star Game against the defending National Football League Champion Baltimore Colts and the 1959 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Churchwell was voted the Senior Bowl's Outstanding Lineman for the South squad. After being selected in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, Churchwell played offensive tackle that season with the Washington Redskins before ending his professional career in 1960 as a member of the American Football League Oakland Raiders. Churchwell (6-0, 220) signed with Ole Miss out of George County High School in Lucedale, Miss., becoming the first Rebel signee ever from George County. He earned three prep football letters and was a standout in the 1955 Mississippi High School All-Star Game. As the heaviest lineman at Ole Miss during that period, Churchwell combined size, strength and speed to excel on both offense and defense. He played middle guard on defense in 1957, but Vaught needed his skills at defensive tackle his senior season and Churchwell made the transition with ease. Born May 11, 1936 in Leakesville, Churchwell is survived by his three daughters, Sherry Eubanks of Lucedale, Penny (Allen) McLeod of Lucedale and Kimbie (Trae) Taylor of Leakesville; one son, Nathaniel Churchwell of Leakesville; a sister, Shirley Massey of Escatawpa, Miss.; a brother, Rush Churchwell of Leakesville; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Roberts Churchwell; his mother, Lois Fagan Churchwell; his father, Rush Churchwell, his step-father, Robert Fagan and his brother, Dervern Churchwell.
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