Martha Mcmillin

Martha Irene "Martharene" Pitts McMillin, 101, of Atlanta, Georgia slipped peacefully to her heavenly home on Monday, February 22, 2021. Although she beat pneumonia from COVID, it was a Pyrrhic victory, as it left her lungs and body ravaged by this dreadful disease. She is survived and will be greatly missed by her daughters, Martha Pitts McMillin and Susan Clark McMillin Link, along with her husband, Charles Martin Link, II and their children, Elizabeth Adair Link and Charles Martin Link, III, who affectionately knew their grandmother as "Mema", and her loving extended family of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of twenty seven years, John Horace McMillin, her brother, John Griffin Pitts, Jr. and her sisters, Joyce Mae Pitts Holcomb, Marian Pitts Ramage and Sarah Evelyn "Peggy" Pitts Reddeck. She was born in 1919 in Clinton, South Carolina to the late John Griffin Pitts, Sr. and Ellen Irene Adair Pitts and enjoyed growing up in a small town that was a supportive community of relatives and friends. Martharene was raised in a close knit, happy family and she carried that spirit to her own family. She was strongly influenced by faith, beauty, gardening, and good food, all gifts from her mother Irene. Throughout her life, she went to church most Sundays and taught Third Grade Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she and John Horace raised their family as active members. Martharene loved to have a good party, which meant having pretty table settings, lovely flowers from the home garden, good food (and plenty of it! homemade for sure! and anything made by Martharene was delicious!) and making sure guests had a good time. Martharene was a superb home cook, especially as a baker, and her recipes were much requested and generously shared. She and John Horace raised their children in his beautiful family home, which she tended to for over four decades. A graduate of Presbyterian College, Martharene spent much of her life working outside the home as an administrative assistant. She supported military staff during World War II followed by roles as executive assistant at Thornwell Village and then insurance agencies. Her favorite job was as the secretary at Jesse Boyd Elementary School. Supporting the children and helping the talented principals was her great pleasure and they appreciated her attention to detail, problem-solving, diplomatic skills, and ability to get things done. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either of the churches which meant so much to Martharene: Broad Street United Methodist Church in Clinton, 310 North Broad Street, Clinton, SC 29325, or First Presbyterian Church, 393 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302. A graveside service in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Road, Spartanburg, SC 29307, will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, February 27, 2021. The family requests that attendees wear masks and follow social distancing protocols. Floyd's North Church Street Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Martha Irene "Martharene" Pitts McMillin please visit our Sympathy Store.