Edith Hambie

News Obituary Article

Edith Hambie, 68, mentor, microbiologist

By DERRICK HENRY

Determination: Edith Hambie had it in abundance.

She was so determined to become a microbiologist at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that she worked her way up from lab aide.

She was so determined to improve the Decatur city schools --- which all four of her children attended --- that she served on the city's board of education, eventually becoming its chairwoman and longest-tenured member.

Not content with local education efforts, she joined the Georgia School Board Association and ended up as its president.

"Edith was tireless," said Dr. Marian McDonald, a doctor of public health who is the associate director for minority and women's health in the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases.

"She was a role model and an encourager with an effervescent personality. She was an incredible magnet for people from diverse backgrounds, particularly minorities."

Edith Amos Hambie, 68, of Decatur died Sept. 16 of breast cancer at Crawford Long Hospital. The funeral is 11 a.m. today at New Beginning Full Gospel Baptist Church. Donald Trimble Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

The Alabama native spent three years at Tuskegee Institute studying to be a nurse, and in the late 1950s joined the nursing staff at Grady Memorial Hospital. "As she got into it, she realized nursing was not what she wanted to do," said her sister Theresa A. Williams of Decatur.

Instead, she enjoyed lab work. In 1962 she joined the CDC as a biological laboratory aide. Two years later she became a lab technician.

But Mrs. Hambie had higher ambitions. She took night classes at Georgia State University, earning a bachelor of science degree in biology in 1974. Then she took advantage of the CDC's long-term training program to earn a master's in microbiology from Atlanta University in 1979.

Mrs. Hambie began working as a CDC microbiologist in 1973 --- among the first blacks to achieve that distinction, Dr. McDonald said --- and was promoted to research microbiologist in 1981. Her research specialty was sexually transmitted diseases.

Yet her impact at the CDC went far beyond her scientific work.

"She was part of CDC efforts to determine the diversity needs of the agency and was a point person for people that wanted to find out how they could improve themselves professionally," Dr. McDonald said. "Edith advised and mentored hundreds, if not thousands, of employees."

Carlton Duncan, the CDC's deputy chief operating officer, remembers when he joined the staff as a scientist in 1987. "I was an African-American male, kind of a novelty at the CDC then. Edith helped me as a friendly face, a genuine, solid, nice person who was always checking with me to see if I had what I needed."

Mrs. Hambie lectured nationwide and recruited new employees for the CDC. She coordinated a summer fellowship program enabling promising students to work with CDC scientists. In 1994 she gave up her research to become diversity coordinator for the National Center for Infectious Diseases, a post she held until her 2004 retirement. The CDC presented her with its highest service award, the William C. Watson Jr. Medal of Excellence, in 1999.

During much of her CDC career, Mrs. Hambie was married and rearing four children. Education was a major priority.

Her efforts on behalf of Decatur schoolchildren were recognized in 1976, when she was appointed to the Decatur Board of Education by the City Commission. She remained on the board through 1997, becoming its longest-tenured member.

This summer, the Decatur city schools honored Mrs. Hambie by naming its professional learning center after her.

Survivors include her husband, James Hambie of Decatur; two daughters, Dorcetia Hambie of Decatur and Shandre Hambie Bell of Ellenwood; two sons, Michael Hambie of Decatur and Christopher Hambie of Stone Mountain; four additional sisters, Emma A. Hannon and Linda A. Long of Decatur and Betty Smith and Minnie Houston of Los Angeles; three brothers, William Amos of Decatur, Ira Amos of Memphis and Hosea Amos of Dallas; and seven grandchildren.

© 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution