Dr. Melvin G. Scarlett of Murfreesboro, president emeritus of Middle Tennessee State University, a lifelong educator, author and devoted husband and father, died April 16 in Murfreesboro at age 91. Born Dec. 30, 1920 in Reading, Pa., Dr. Scarlett was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Mossie Scarlett. He is survived by wife Caroline; brother Don, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; children Jon Scarlett (Lin), of Smyrna; David Scarlett (Teresa) and Nan Scarlett Overton (Melbourn), both of Brentwood; grandchildren Taylor Overton, Jackson Overton, Barry Scarlett, Heather Scarlett Wilson; and three great-grandchildren. Dr. Scarlett was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and, for a time in his youth, considered becoming a minister. He soon realized education was his true calling and pursued it passionately, attending Catawba College in North Carolina and becoming the first member of his family to earn a college degree. He began his higher education career as an instructor at Bethel College (now Bethel University) in McKenzie, Tenn., where he met and eventually married Caroline Vawter. He later had teaching positions at Oklahoma State, Marshall and Kent State in Ohio before becoming dean of Hastings College in Nebraska. Dr. Scarlett was also president of Mankato State University in Minnesota and Farmington State in Maine before moving to Murfreesboro in 1968. He spent 10 years at MTSU and another 10 as a regents professor at Memphis State (now University of Memphis) before retiring in Murfreesboro. While at MTSU, Dr. Scarlett was the driving force behind the creation of the honors and recording industry programs, as well as the communications department, and was named the Aerospace Educator of the Year. He also traveled with architects to tour facilities throughout the nation before construction of Murphy Center, the state-of-the-art multi-purpose athletic facility that is still a campus showpiece. At MTSU, Dr. Scarlett gave students a greater voice in campus governance and, through thoughtful communication, avoided the unrest plaguing many other universities during the turbulent 60s and early 70s. During his retirement, Dr. Scarlett continued his contribution to higher education through authorship of The Great Rip-Off in American Education: Undergrads Underserved and a separate volume on his tenure at MTSU. Apart from his family, Dr. Scarlett had three lifelong passions"great music, great humor and great baseball. Dr. Scarlett was a moral man, a generous man and a man who worked hard for everything he got. He was deeply loved and will be deeply missed. Heartfelt thanks go staff and management of Creekside at Three Rivers and Alive Hospice for their tremendous compassion and care. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, 1488 Lascassas Pike, in Murfreesboro, with the funeral at the same location Thursday at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Creekside at Three Rivers or the Alzheimers Foundation. Condolences may be made at www.woodfinchapel.com. 615-893-5151.