Dr. Martin Moran

Dr. Martin Moran passed away peacefully with his wife, Harriet, by his side on October 31, 2018 at Hospice Atlanta. Martin was born in New York City in 1936 to his father, an Irish immigrant, John Patrick Moran, and his mother, Catherine Moran. He had four brothers; Austin, Tim, John and Vincent and attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine School in the Bronx. As he entered high school, he moved to Ajo, Arizona and later enrolled at the University of Arizona where he earned his BA in History. After completing his studies at the University of Arizona in 1959, he worked in the copper mines in Ajo with his father in order to save money for medical school, The University of Tennessee at Memphis, where he graduated in 1963.

Martin met the love of his life, Harriet Cotten, while in Memphis and proposed marriage to her on their first date. She played hard to get, but accepted his proposal soon thereafter. They recently celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary on October 19th.

Following medical school, he completed his internship at Cottage-County Hospital in Santa Barbara, California and then volunteered for the US Army, serving for five years (1964-1969), achieving the rank of Major and completing his Pediatric Residency. He was last stationed at Ft. McPherson in Atlanta where he was Chief of Pediatrics from 1967-1969. After retiring from the army, he remained in Atlanta and had a very successful Pediatric practice in Sandy Springs for the next 32 years.

It would be impossible to list all of his accomplishments, but his more notable achievements include: the publishing of Tincture of Time: The Story of 150 Years of Medicine in Atlanta and his second book, Atlanta’s Living Legacy, A History of Grady Memorial Hospital and Its People. He served as the Editor of the children’s book The Town Turtles of Sandy Springs, The Story Behind the Turtles By the Children Who Saw Them, the Editor of The Journal of The Medical Association of Georgia and the Editor of The Journal of the Medical Association of Atlanta, past-President of the Atlanta Medical Heritage, past-President of The Medical Association of Atlanta, and past-President of the Medical Staff of Scottish Rite Hospital (now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta). He was instrumental in organizing groups that made bike helmets for children mandatory in Georgia, thereby saving thousands of lives; in the construction of public toilets in the City of Atlanta; and in saving the historic Academy of Medicine building on West Peachtree Street, preventing its destruction and becoming “more high-rise crap” as he liked to say. He and his wife dedicated many hours of service to helping the homeless at The Open Door shelter and The Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children. In addition, he was a noted speaker around Atlanta on such topics as the medical advances made during the major wars of the US, the medical aspects of the Shroud of Turin and he gave informational guided tours at Oakland Cemetery. Always a master organizer of meaningful causes, Martin put together The Retired Physicians History Book Club whose membership outgrew all of their living rooms with strong bonds of friendship increasing in equal proportion to the number of members. He was also an elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

He touched the lives of so many of his patients in so many ways. And they touched his just the same. He was a true doctor.

Although he never wore a watch, nor had a cell phone, nor could ever figure out how to work a computer, he was never late nor out of touch with his friends or family. He was the smartest man on the planet. Before there was Google™, there was Martin Moran.

Martin was preceded in death by his parents, two of his brothers Austin and John, his in-laws Harry and Virginia Cotten, and his dog Ernest. He is most proud of his amazing 55-year marriage to the love of his life, Harriet, their two sons: Todd and Crawford, their two lovely daughters-in-law, Allison and Mary their four grandchildren: Jorie, Margaret, Martin Cotten and Cole, and their three step grandchildren: Sienna, Joseph and Sydney. His two boys have lost their hero and he will be greatly missed by so many.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, November 8 at 2:00 PM (because at 2:00 they don’t serve the small triangle sandwiches) at Trinity Presbyterian Church 3003 Howell Mill Rd Atlanta, GA 30327.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30305; Oakland Cemetery, 248 Oakland Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312; Hospice Atlanta, 1244 Park Vista Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319; Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, PO Box 550, 101 Rocalla Ave, Ajo, Arizona 85321; Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3003 Howell Mill RD NW, Atlanta, GA 30327; or the charity of your choice.