Clara Martin

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Clara moved to Atlanta as a child and attended North Fulton High School, where she discovered her love of journalism working on the school paper. She graduated in 1948 and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia in 1952, editing the campus women’s newspaper and writing for a local radio station. She later returned to UGA for a Master’s in Mass Communications in 1971.

Clara’s career spanned education, broadcasting, and public relations. She spent fourteen years on the faculty at Brenau College (now Brenau University) teaching journalism and broadcasting and helping launch the school’s first radio station, WBCX. Before joining the faculty at Brenau, Clara served as Assistant to the President and Director of Special Development Projects, organizing the college’s first foundation-giving program.

In 1985 she became Director of Public Relations for Standard Telephone Company in Cornelia, Georgia. She then went on to become the owner and operator of two radio stations, WMJE-FM and WCHM-AM in Clarkesville for four and a half years before selling them in 1992. Following that, she led and expanded the adult education programs at Piedmont College before returning to Brenau in 1996, where she directed the journalism and broadcasting programs until her retirement in 2006.

Known as a stickler for grammar and precision, Clara also served as a 1970 U.S. Census Bureau district administrator, a correspondent for the Atlanta Constitution, and a staff writer for The Times/USA Today in Gainesville. She belonged to numerous professional organizations, including the Georgia Press Association, Georgia Association of Broadcasters, and Public Relations Society of America.

Deeply committed to community service, she was heavily involved with many organizations: Gainesville Theatre founding member, the Gainesville Junior League, Northeast Georgia Regional Library Board Chair, Habersham United Way, Volunteers for Literacy, Habersham Arts Council and many others. After moving to Canterbury Court in 2010, she remained very active — organizing events, writing resident biographies, and serving on multiple community committees.

She was an avid reader, bridge player and dancer, often attending weekend dances in Cornelia and at Canterbury Court.

Clara is survived by her sister, Mary Morris Patton of Atlanta, her three daughters, Dottie Martin Corey (Jim) of Seneca, S.C., Beth Martin Carpenter (Ed) of St. Simons Island, Ga., and Mary Helen Martin (Belinda Hernandez) of Marietta, Ga., along with five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She will be remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother, teacher, mentor, and friend.

A service celebrating Clara’s life will be held Saturday, July 11th at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at Canterbury Court, 3750 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. The interment of ashes will be held on Sunday, July 12th at 12:30 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Ga. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Clara Martin Endowed Journalism Scholarship at Brenau University https://giving.brenau.edu/give-online/.