William Butler (Butch) Mulherin, MD

Dr. Butch Mulherin, a native of Augusta, graduated from Richmond Academy and first attended UGA in 1952. He lettered as both an offensive and defensive end for the Bulldogs from 1953-55. Upon graduation, he returned to Augusta and continued his studies at The Medical College of Georgia. Coming from a family of doctors he earned his degree from MCG in 1961. He then spent one year in general surgery residency in Augusta before moving to Atlanta to serve as the full-time surgical resident at the Georgia Baptist Hospital.

He then served a surgical residency at the Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta. It was there he met Dr. Fred Allman, a fellow UGA alumnus and a pioneer in the field of sports medicine. Allman convinced Mulherin that their alma mater needed full-time attention from an orthopedist.

He moved to Athens in 1966, founded Athens Orthopedic Clinic, and joined the Bulldogs medical staff. He was one of the first orthopedic surgeons to provide daily care to a college team, traveling to every road game and attending practices. Additionally, Butch was a true pioneer in the use of Arthroscopic surgery previously unknown in the area. He remained with the Bulldogs until 1999 while growing the Athens Orthopedic Clinic into one of the region’s largest and best of its kind. Starting the clinic with two exam rooms and a single nurse, it today boasts a staff of over 400 with 17 doctors and 15 PA’s. The clinic’s surgery center is known as the William B. Mulherin Surgery Center.

Butch ultimately was the recipient of the 2017 Hartman Award—one of the greatest honors given to a former UGA student-athlete.

He married the girl of his dreams, Ann Collins Mulherin (deceased) from Blakely, Georgia in 1955 and soon thereafter had their son, Philip Hilton Mulherin; and daughter, Laura Annetta Mulherin (deceased). The more recent pride of his life is his granddaughter, Mary Gordon Mulherin, who currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She shares her grandfather’s love of the outdoors and hunting in South Georgia, which delighted Butch.

Additional family members include sisters: Barbara Mulherin Scott (deceased), Elizabeth Mulherin (deceased) and Beverly Mulherin Burton (deceased).

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at Athens First United Methodist Church with a reception thereafter. Entombment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a scholarship fund for the nursing school program at Athens Tech honoring Dr. Mulherin’s daughter, Laura, who was a nurse at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta—The Laura Mulherin Foundation Fund. Mail contributions to The Athens Area Community Foundation with Laura Mulherin Foundation in the memo line to PO Box 1543, Athens, GA 30603 or online at https://athensareacf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2518 .

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.