Kathryn B. Mercer

Mrs. Mercer of Marietta passed away on January 29, 2010, at the age of 95. She was born Kathryn Virginia Bowen in Herren, Illinois, and was a 1936 graduate of the University of Illinois. She married Mahlon B. Mercer in 1938, and they both taught school until 1940 when they had a daughter, Madelyn. Mr. Mercer continued to teach public school music and she became a home-maker. Their son, Stephen, was born in 1946. The family moved from Kokomo, Indiana, to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1947 when Mr. Mercer accepted the position of Minister of Music at Atlanta’s Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church. Following her husband’s death in 1949, Mrs. Mercer returned to her teaching career. She taught in the City of Atlanta Public School System, first at Crew Street Elementary School, then at Bass and North Fulton High Schools. During that time she completed graduate work at Emory University and the University of Georgia, earning a Specialist in Education Certification and her Master’s Degree in Education. When Mrs. Mercer retired from the Atlanta School System in 1979, she was Senior Guidance Counselor at North Fulton High School. Upon her retirement she enjoyed traveling abroad and spending time with her children and grandchildren. For a number of years, Mrs. Mercer volunteered at the Atlanta History Center located in Northwest Atlanta. Mrs. Mercer moved to Marietta, Georgia, in 1991 in order to be closer to her family, and during her years there she was a volunteer at the Marietta Welcome Center and assisted in the English School sponsored by Marietta First Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member and active until shortly prior to her death. Mrs. Mercer is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Berton (Karen) Mercer, son-in-law Mr. Jack Reynolds Worrill, grand-daughters and spouses, Mr. and Mrs. Mark (Lauri Worrill) Biggs, Mr. and Mrs. Joel (MaKay Worrill) Swanson, Mr. and Mrs. William (Abigail Worrill) Shetler, and Mr. and Mrs. Martin (Christen Mercer) Pruett; ten great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Family visitation and memorial services for Mrs. Mercer will be held jointly with those of her daughter, Mrs. Jack (Madelyn Mercer) Worrill. Visitation will be from 2:00 till 4:00 PM and 6:00 till 8:00 PM Sunday at Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in Marietta, and the Memorial service will be at 11:00 AM Monday in the sanctuary of Marietta First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made for the development and improvement of the Wellstar Cancer Center Memorial Garden in the name of her daughter, Madelyn M. Worrill. Those contributions may be sent to the Wellstar Foundation, 200 South Park Place, Atlanta, GA 30339. www.mayeswarddobbins.com