Melody Mauldin Covington

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Michael A. Covington; her daughter Catherine Covington Barrett (of Louisville, Ky.), and son-in-law Nathaniel M. Barrett; her daughter Sharon Elizabeth Covington (of Athens, Ga.); her mother, Eleanor Daniel Mauldin; her sister, Crystal Mauldin Holman; and five grandchildren, Mary, Philip, Benjamin, Emily, and Stephen Barrett. She was preceded in death by her father, James Elmo Mauldin, Jr., and her granddaughter Dorothea Rose Barrett.

Melody was born in Atlanta and spent her teenage years in Winder, where she was STAR Student of Barrow County and Valedictorian of Winder-Barrow High School in 1976. She met Michael at a University of Georgia recruiting event, and they were immediately best friends and soon a great deal more. Their marriage was extremely happy, and they had just celebrated the 50th anniversaries of some of their first visits and dates.

She majored in graphic design at the University of Georgia, was briefly art director of the Marietta Daily Journal, and for most of her life did free-lance graphic design and typesetting as well as devoting lots of time to her children. She was the author of "Dictionary of Desktop Publishing" and co-author of "Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms." The pursuit that first brought her and Michael together was nature photography, but in fact they shared most of their very broad intellectual interests. A devout Christian, she was an active member of Beech Haven Baptist Church and subsequently Alps Road Presbyterian Church until declining health interfered.

Visitation will be held at Bernstein Funeral Home, 3195 Atlanta Highway, Athens, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., at Alps Road Presbyterian Church, 380 Alps Road, Athens. Interment will be in Oconee Hill Cemetery, 297 Cemetery Street, Athens.

As an alternative to flowers, the family suggests making a donation to the Georgia Museum of Art (by mailing a check to the museum or phoning 706-542-4662) and designating it in memory of Melody.

May God enfold her in His arms, and may her memory be eternal.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.