Mary Adrienne Hiers

After a recent battle with illness Mary Adrienne Hiers passed away on Monday, November 17, 2014. Mary was a lifelong educator with a passion for nature, dogs, roses and her beloved Georgia Bulldogs. She was born in Bamberg, South Carolina but lived her adult life in the Atlanta area of Georgia. She is survived by her brother, Charles Hiers his wife Ruth and her nephew, Chuck Hiers and his wife Jill. Mary was born in Bamberg, South Carolina and she attended Columbia College in South Carolina where she received a degree in education. She became a biology teacher at Southwest DeKalb High School (DeKalb County) in Atlanta in 1960. Mary loved science, teaching and interacting with students. Her life took a huge turn when in 1966 she was one of the original team hired to staff the new Fernbank Science Center. Fernbank became her passion and she spent the rest of her working career at Fernbank. It was there that she began working as a forest instructor but quickly worked her way into administration: first as an assistant director and finally in 1985 she was selected to be the Science Center's director. This title she held until her retirement in 2001. As director she guided Fernbank through some of its most productive and successful years. She managed to secure funding to expand its programs and staff. While at Fernbank she insured the protection of Fernbank Forest, expanded their outreach programs and developed a nationally recognized rose garden. At the time of her retirement only one other employee in the school system had a longer active tenure. Her passion was always the education of students of all ages. She also had a love of plants especially roses. Her dedication to the cultivation and display of roses lead to a rose named in her honor, the Mary Adrienne Rose. Her other love was her University of Georgia Bulldogs. Her house was ornamented with many calendars, posters, paintings, statues of bulldogs and their football teams. After retiring, Mary stayed involved in education and helping young students especially special needs students. She immersed herself in planning, fund raising for a children's camp on Lake Oconee called Collinswood at Aldergate. She served on its board and played an active leadership role in helping to secure funding for the facility. She was also active in her church, Cannon United Methodist Church in Snellville. Mary's last years, while living at Sunrise Assisted Living Center in Snellville, she actively engaged the staff in creating a nature trail with labeled plants and water features. This project received the National Wildlife designation as a certified wildlife habitat. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Fernbank Science Center Foundation (156 Heaton Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30307), a tax-exempt foundation which supports Fernbank Science Center. A memorial and celebration of her life will be held Monday, November 24th at 11 am at Cannon United Methodist Church, 2424 Web Gin House Road, Snellville, GA 30078. A. S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory.


Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033