Alma Mcwhorter Murlin

A life well lived!

Tuesday, January 26, 2021, Alma McWhorter Murlin, loving daughter, sister, aunt, devoted wife, mother of two, mother-in-law and grandmother of three, passed away peacefully in her sleep at age 95.

Alma McWhorter Murlin was born Alma Carlton McWhorter on January 18, 1926, in Savannah, Georgia to Burnett Pettigrew McWhorter and Alma Carlton (Register) McWhorter. During her early childhood, the family resided in several places, including Miami, Waycross, and Tallahassee. Alma remembered attending a kindergarten program on the campus of Florida State University. FSU at that time was an all-female university. When her father, Burnett P. McWhorter, was appointed Assistant State Highway Engineer of Georgia by Governor Richard B. Russell, the family relocated to Decatur, Georgia. Her father later became Chief State Highway Engineer of Georgia. In 1932, Alma started first grade at Glenwood Elementary School in Decatur, the same elementary school her two sons would later attend in the early 1970's. The McWhorter family relocated to Montgomery, Alabama, for a brief time before moving to Richmond, Virginia, where Alma graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1943. Alma began her collegiate experience in 1943 at Westhampton College. The family returned to Decatur in 1943, and Alma transferred to the University of Georgia in 1945, graduating in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in biology. Alma was ahead of her time in earning a four-year professional degree and in working full time as a woman in 1947. She spent her entire professional career in the state and federal public health systems, working for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a microbiologist from 1947 through 1995. Alma was a pioneer in her field, and several strains of the salmonella bacteria are named after her as a result of her work in identifying and serotyping new strains from around the world to track outbreaks to their sources. Her coworkers gave her the nickname "Almanella." In 1956, she took a 6-month sabbatical from work and traveled throughout free Europe having quite the experience visiting every country except Ireland. The slides remain of this trip and document both the beautiful and war-ravaged Europe only a decade after World War II ended. Professionally, Alma networked with other microbiologists and doctors from around the world, including Finland, Brazil, South Africa and Burma (Myanmar). Alma also spent a brief time working in Paris, France, with the Pasteur Institute. In 1995, shortly before her retirement, Alma was awarded the prestigious William C. Watson, Jr. Medal of Excellence in recognition for her outstanding contributions to public health while at CDC. Alma was the first individual at CDC from "the bench" (non-PhD) to receive this honor. The CDC Medal of Excellence was established in 1977 as the premier annual service award for CDC employees for outstanding achievement and was renamed for William Watson in 1985 on his retirement from CDC.

Alma Carlton McWhorter and Jack Frost Murlin wed in Decatur, Georgia, on October 17, 1964, in the chapel at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Alma and Jack raised two sons, John Frost Murlin, born 1966 and Richard Carlton Murlin, born in 1967. Alma enjoyed hobbies and crafts including crocheting, painting, and gardening. She studied painting under Lamar Dodd at the University of Georgia. Alma and Jack worked collaboratively every year for approximately 15 years making hand-painted wooded Christmas ornaments for family and friends. Jack would cut the patterns out of plywood and Alma would painstakingly layer paint night after night until the process was complete. Friends and family who received a reindeer, Santa Claus, snowman, or toy soldier understood the love and care that went into making these cherished presents. Alma would also crochet newborn blankets for family and friends. Weekly, Alma played with her bridge group. She enjoyed boating. The family had a houseboat on Lake Lanier for 30 years where many weekends and long weeks during the summer were spent cruising, swimming, water skiing and watching the sunsets. Alma was a member of the Junior League, where she volunteered her time and gave to a variety of charities annually. Alma was compassionate, supportive, generous to many and dedicated to her family. After her husband Jack was incapacitated because of complications from open heart surgery over his last 9 months, Alma was at his side every day until his death. This demonstrates the extreme devotion Alma and Jack had for one another.

Alma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack, who passed on July 11, 1999, and her brother, Burnett Pettigrew McWhorter, Jr., who passed on May 24, 1995 and her nephew Jaimin Gynn McWhorter who passed away April 21, 2020. She is survived by her sons, John Frost Murlin, his wife Edyta, and their son Jack of Decatur, GA; Richard Carlton Murlin and his two children Richard (Richie) Carlton Murlin II and Caitlynn Alexandra Murlin of Melbourne, FL; and her sister-in-law, Jane Hart McWhorter of Watkinsville, GA. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews: Bruce Burnett McWhorter of Ogden, UT; Brett Kendal McWhorter, wife Laura, children Amber Ann and Matthew, and granddaughter Anastasia Ann of Bogart, GA; Kristin Karen McWhorter of Summerfield, FL; Eugene Banks (Chip) Pendleton and wife Susan of Smyrna, GA, and their children, Erica Ruth Pendleton of Smyrna, John Edward (Otto) Pendleton, wife Leigh and children, Talley, Paige and Liv of Atlanta, and Albert Pendleton, wife Lauren, and sons, Banks and Otto of Atlanta; Barbara Pendleton (Bebe) and Boisfeuillet (Bo) Jones, Jr., of Washington, DC, and their two children Lindsay (Jones), husband Alex Farmer, and children Phoebe, Luke and Angus of Washington, CT; and Theodore Boisfeuillet (Teddy) Jones of Brooklyn NY; and Robin Pendleton of Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Alma had many cousins including Lura Register Hostetter, Linda Fraley, Jack Todd, Thomas McWhorter, Albert McWhorter, Molly Clouse, Henry McWhorter Danforth, and Elaine McWhorter, Anne Brown, Louise Schneider, Douglass McWhorter, Edwin McWhorter, Mary McDaniel, and Anne Swift Walsh.

Alma resided at AG Rhodes Nursing Home of Cobb County since October of 2020.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on February 3, 2021 at A.S. Turner & Sons at 11:00 am. There will be a viewing period starting one hour prior to the service at 10:00 am. Burial services will be held at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta at 1:30 pm, following the memorial service at A.S. Turner & Sons.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice in loving memory of Alma McWhorter Murlin.



**Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86864893348?pwd=TyswL3ozWlBaZGlaQXEwaWxxZUh0dz09

Meeting ID: 868 6489 3348
Passcode: 727784