Mary Esther Gaulden Jagger

JAGGER,, MARY ESTHER GAULDEN Died peacefully on 1 September 2007 at the Rambling Oaks Courtyard Assisted Living Residence, Highland Village TX. She was born in Rock Hill SC on 30 April 1921, the daughter of Jessye Virginia Carson and Daniel Harley Gaulden, both of York SC. She had one sibling, Daniel Harley Gaulden, Jr., now deceased, of New Smyrna Beach FL. She received a B.S. from Winthrop College in 1942, with a double major in music and biology, and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Virginia in 1948. In Oak Ridge TN, she worked as a Senior Radiation Biologist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (1949-1960). In Dallas, she was Professor of Radiology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (1965-2002). In 1956 in Oak Ridge she married John Jagger, a biophysicist, and had two children, Thomas Alexander Jagger, of Austin TX, and Yvonne Virginia Mellinger, of Flower Mound TX, all of whom survive her. Three grandchildren also survive her: Alexander John Jagger, of Alien TX, and Melanie Nicole and Kyle Allen Mellinger, of Flower Mound. She lived with her family in Dallas from 1965 to February 2006, when she and her husband moved to Rambling Oaks Courtyard. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in October 2006. She was a radiation geneticist, and authored some 60 scientific publications. She worked primarily with the giant chromosomes of the grasshopper neuroblast, which she found to be a very sensitive indicator of mutations. Her most recent interests led to her studies on the ovarian blood supply in mammals, and its implications for Downs syndrome. She was a founding member of the Radiation Research Society and the Environmental Mutagen Society, and was president of the Association of Southeastern Biologists in 1959. She served on the Committee on Toxicology, US. National Research Council (1989-1999), studying the environment on the International Space Station. She always showed a deep personal concern for the students and staff with whom she worked. She was given a plaque by the alumni of the Dept. of Radiology, Southwestern Medical School, for the years 1967-1977, and in 1982 was given the Academia Award as the Best Lecturer in Genetics by the Freshman Medical School Class. In the nonscientific arena, she also distinguished herself. In Oak Ridge, she became locally famous as the person who "threw the rascals out" of the Anderson County Election Commission, and was also active in the desegregation movement in that county. In recognition of these activities, the Oak Ridge legal community gave her the Liberty Bell Award for 1963. In Dallas, she was one of 30 women who helped Betty Friedan found the National Organization for Women in 1966. In 1983, she was given the Maura McNiel Award (Women Helping Women) by the Women's Center of Dallas. She was a vivacious and dynamic person, with a fine sense of humor and a great love of life. She enjoyed entertaining and world travel with her husband. Having studied botany, she was an avid gardener and delighted in the outdoors, including hiking and camping. She loved to help her young grandson Alex identify insects that he found in her gardens. She will be greatly missed by her family, as well as by many other people, young and old. There will be a memorial service at 2 PM on Saturday 29 September at the first Unitarian Church of Dallas, 4015 Normandy (just north of the intersection of Preston Road and Mockingbird Lane). Donations in her name may be made to The Nature Conservancy of Texas, PO Box 1440, San Antonio 78295.

OB6 Obituaries, Notices