Marilu McCarty

Marilu Hurt McCarty was born on October 11, 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee to Arthur Raymond Hurt and Mary Louise Bean Hurt. Marilu excelled in school in Memphis and Nashville, and later in the Atlanta area after the family moved to Avondale Estates, setting the stage for a lifetime of learning and academia.

At age 19, Marilu graduated from Georgia Southern University (then known as Georgia Teachers’ College) with a degree in History, and began her successful career in education, teaching at the junior high and high school level, before finally finding her true calling at the university level. Marilu attained a Master’s degree and PhD in Economics at Georgia State University. She then joined the faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she taught Economics and served as Assistant Dean of the School of Management. While at Georgia Tech, Marilu published over half a dozen college textbooks on Economics, which were used at colleges and universities throughout the country.

Never one to sit idle, following her retirement from Georgia Tech, Marilu served as a Trustee and later Executive Secretary of the John and Mary Franklin Foundation for over 25 years, an organization she dearly loved. Marilu’s compassion for the underserved, along with exceptional analytical skills, enabled her to propose more than a thousand grants during her tenure, benefiting hundreds of nonprofit organizations. Professional and social organizations included the Georgia Council for the Arts and Humanities, American Economic Association, Southern Center for International Studies, and the Inquiry Club. She was also one of the first women members of the Atlanta Kiwanis Club and was a widow member of Capital City Club and the Piedmont Driving Club.

In addition to her many career successes, Marilu excelled in a number of hobbies. She was a fine artist and studied drawing and painting at the Chastain Arts Center for many years. She became an excellent sailor, and enjoyed sailing on Lake Lanier, throughout the Caribbean, French Polynesia, and the Chesapeake Bay. She loved traveling --- throughout much of Europe to draw and paint, as well as Australia, and throughout the US. She even visited the Soviet Union during the Cold War, where she saw Khruschev appear on a balcony in Red Square. Her life-long love of books led to a massive book collection, and she typically rotated her attention between at least 3 books at any given time: an Economics book, a nonfiction book, and a novel. Later in life, she took up reading Chemistry and Physics textbooks ---- for fun.

Marilu was predeceased by her husband, John Ottley McCarty. She and John experienced many wonderful adventures on Lake Rabun, Lake Lanier, Hawaii and the Bahamas, where they were snorkeling enthusiasts. As a surprise to John, one Christmas she presented him with her private pilot’s license, which she secretly earned in support of his private plane flying and ownership.

After John McCarty’s untimely death, Marilu met Jim Keelin, and for the next 40+ years, they embarked on numerous adventures as well, sailing extensively throughout the Caribbean, especially the British Virgin Islands, and traveling throughout the US West, New England, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Marilu always loved a party. She enjoyed hosting luncheons for the Sunshine Girls, her classmates from Decatur Girls’ High. Nothing delighted her more than hosting large crowds of family, their boyfriends/girlfriends, in-laws, and even some of their former spouses, as they gathered at her beautiful home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mother’s Day celebrations. Her home reflected her love of music and art, much of it collected in her travels, that she shared with her guests. We will miss her fabulous stories!

In addition to her parents and John McCarty, Marilu was predeceased by Jim Keelin, her son Rudolph (Rusty) Mills, grandson Timothy Murray, and stepdaughter Ann McCarty. She is survived by her daughter Robin Murray (Jim), son Scott Mills (Julie), daughter-in-law Fairy Huff Mills, stepdaughter Penny McCarty Rue (Les), stepson John McCarty, Jr. (Donna), brother Buddy Hurt (Lisa), sisters Vicki Hurt Thornton (Stan, deceased) and Fifi Hurt Donahoe (Bob), 5 grandchildren, 2 great-granddaughters, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express its appreciation to the kind and attentive staff at Corso Atlanta, where she resided for the last 21 months.

A memorial service will be held at Patterson & Son – Arlington Chapel on January 21, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00, followed by a Prayer Service, officiated by Monsignor Joseph Corbett at 11:00, and interment at Arlington Memorial Park. A reception will follow at Patterson’s. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Marilu’s memory to the John and Mary Franklin Foundation c/o Heather Kite at P.O. Box 725429, Atlanta, GA 31139.