Christa Charlotte Burry

Christa Charlotte Ochmann Burry passed away at Phoenix – The Pearl, a memory care community in Marietta GA on September 10, 2026. Christa, 94, joined her Lord and Savior in heaven with her family. Christa was born in Oels Silesia Poland. She and her family were German. After WWII, she and her family were forced to leave Poland after Russian occupation. It was a forced march to the American sector of Berlin (Britz), Germany. Christa finished her secondary, and a portion of her post-secondary education, in Berlin.

Christa, Born Nov 29, 1931, was the daughter of Klaus and Charlotte (Kusche) Ochmann. Christa had one brother, Klaus, who passed away in October 1993. The Ochmanns had been a very successful family in Silecia. Upon Russian occupation, their large home was taken to house Russian troops. Christa remembered the soldiers using the bathroom commode for fresh water. Christa and her family were later evicted from their home to join the forced march out of Silesia to Germany.

Christa met two Americans who would be significant in her life while at school in Berlin. She met Albert Firestone, one of the heirs of the Firestone Tire corporation, and an American US Army soldier stationed in Berlin, David Ira Burry, from Greer, South Carolina. Christa and David were married in July 1955 at the Standesamt Zehlendorf in Berlin. Later, Christa went from a green card holder to a naturalized American citizen in 1986.

Upon returning to the United States, Christa and David made their home in the Atlanta (East Point) area. They were the parents of one daughter, Christa Rebecca (Cookie) Burry Chauvin (Don) born in May 1956. Christa Chauvin has one daughter, Kaylan Chauvin Barton (Dylan).

Following a difficult divorce in 1973, and subsequent strained family relationships, Christa moved to Marietta, GA. Christa also had begun a long career with the Coca Cola USA company. She began as a secretary in the typing pool and was promoted several times. Her final years were spent as an executive assistant in the Coca Cola C Suite.

Christa’s language skills and fluency in German, English, and French were often called upon to support European customers. They were especially useful when Christa was given an opportunity by Coca Cola to help support preparations for the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta. Christa retired from Coca Cola USA in April 2001. Following her retirement, Christa traveled many times to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean islands, including Cuba.

Christa remained friends with Albert Firestone when she relocated to the United States. After her divorce, he often invited her to spend Christmas and New Years with his house party in West Palm Beach, FL. They remained friends until his passing.

Later, in the early 1980’s, Christa met an Engineering Senior Manager who worked for Lockheed Martin, Frank Overcash, the love of her life. Frank and Christa loved ballroom dancing, the outdoors, sailing, and travel. Frank had proposed marriage to Christa, but, sadly, passed away before that happened.

Christa absolutely loved the opera. She spent many happy years attending the Atlanta Opera Society productions at the Cobb Energy Center. Christa also loved the Atlanta Ballet and attended many of their programs as well. She enjoyed shopping in Sandy Springs, gardening, travel, and lunch out with her many friends. Her pride and joy had always been her home in East Marietta, eine kleine puppenspiel (a little dollhouse).

Left to cherish her memory are her sister-in-law Karin Ochmann and nephew Detlef Ochmann, Berlin, Germany, William Snyder, Dr. Wes Samson (Mark), Gudrun and Ted Chapman, Mary Riddle, Meri Cotney, Joanne and Walter Costell-Kosik, Ronald and Cynthia Emery, Richard and Stacey Hendry, Pamala M. Thompson, Hillary A. and Erik Storla, Kimberly and Howard Stoudt, and James and Margaret Fustino. Christa considered her friends to be her family. She loved every one of them and enjoyed many happy moments with them – especially those spent sailing on Lake Lanier in her sailboat, and later. at William Snyder’s Christmas Eve dinners.

We are extremely grateful to the Agape Hospice Services nurses and the medical staff at The Pearl for Christa’s care. Their kind, loving attention to her is deeply appreciated. Also deeply appreciated were the home and memory care visits by her doctor, Dr. David M. Clifford, MDVIP, who treated her with compassion and always with a desire for the best outcomes as Christa’s need for medical attention increased in this last year.

In accordance with Christa’s wishes, she was cremated. The Sandy Springs Chapel and Funeral Home are entrusted with her final wishes. Her urn can be found in a niche in the Mausoleum at Arlington Cemetery in Sandy Springs. A Christian memorial service will be held October 27th to honor Christa’s memory.

If desired, a memorial gift in memory of Christa may be made to The Atlanta Opera, 1575 Northside Drive NW, Building 300 Suite 350, Atlanta, GA, 30318; or a charity of your choice.