Effie Georgas McCullough

Effie Georgas McCullough, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, loving friend and enthusiastic volunteer, died on June 1, 2018, in Dallas, surrounded by family, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 69 years old. Effie was born in 1948 in Corsicana, Texas, to Greek immigrant parents, Spiros and Argeri "Sylvia" Georgas. She was proud of the generosity and entrepreneurial drive they instilled in her at an early age. Her father immigrated to the US in 1909 at the age of 16, with only $100; eventually opening a successful restaurant, George's Grill, where young Effie sharpened her arithmetic skills working as a cashier. Effie attended the University of Texas at Austin and studied math and computer science, because they were considered the most difficult fields. Her excellent grades earned her a spot on the Dean's List and her charisma led to membership in the Cordettes, Orange Jackets, and a Texas Cowboys Sweetheart nomination. Despite a hiring freeze due to the 1970s recession, Effie landed a job at Texas Instruments programming one of the world's first supercomputers. She would go on to win prestigious company-wide awards for her management of technical projects at both TI and General Electric. Effie met her husband, Tom, at TI while they were both working on a system for detecting Soviet nuclear tests. They started dating soon after, she made him baklava as a Christmas gift and they married in 1978. Last month, they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Her three children were the beloved products of an industrious motherhood. She approached parenting with the same vigor as her academic and professional pursuits, dedicating herself to ensuring her children had every possible opportunity. Effie faithfully served the church as a vestry member and as President of the Women of St. Michael. She also helped create the Good Shepherd Committee, the All Angels Society and co-led the Brown Bag Bible Study group for 32 years. As co-chairs of the President's Research Council, Effie and Tom also supported advancement of science and medicine at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Passionate about gardening, she surrounded her home with an exquisitely planned and maintained garden. She also served as President of the Founders Garden Club of Dallas and was a member of the Dallas Garden Club, the Dallas Women's Club and the Junior League of Dallas. Effie will be most remembered for touching so many people with her infectious warmth, graciousness and energy. Effie is survived by her husband, Tom McCullough; her son, Edward McCullough of San Francisco, CA; her daughter, Ellen McCullough of Athens, GA; her daughter, Margaret McCullough Long, husband Richard and grandson George of Austin, TX; her brother, Nick Georgas and wife Cindy of Dallas, TX, and their sons, Nicholas and Gregory, of Houston, TX. A memorial service will be held at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 8011 Douglas Ave, Dallas, TX, on Thursday, June 7, at 2 pm, with a reception to follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Foundation of Saint Michael and All Angels, 8011 Douglas Ave, Dallas, TX 75225; or to UT Southwestern Medical Center in support of cancer research, P.O. Box 910888, Dallas, TX 75391.