George McPHERSON Jr.

McPHERSON, Jr., George Kenneth George K. McPherson, Jr. of Atlanta died Monday, March 3, 2014, at Tranquility Hospice after a long battle with cancer. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana on December 29th, 1936, George was the only son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George K. McPherson, Sr. After moving with his parents several times, including Dunkirk, NY and Portland, CT, he graduated from South-West High-School in St. Louis Missouri were he played tennis and was an avid baseball player, playing catcher. George continued his education at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, where he graduated in 1958 with a BSBA. He graduated from Washington University Law School in 1961, and then completed Judge Advocate General School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was then sent to The Third Army Headquarters for the US Army at Fort McPherson where he served two years, rising to the rank of Captain. During his military career, George was sent to Oxford as a liaison for the Army during the integration of The University of Mississippi. Upon completion of his military service in 1964, George joined the staff of the Solicitor General (now re-titled District Attorney) for the Atlanta Judicial Circuit as a trial attorney prosecuting major felony cases. During his tenure, George argued the first civil rights case in the Supreme Court on behalf of the State of Georgia. After his career with Fulton County, George joined the law firm of Smith Currie and Hancock, specializing in Labor and Employment law. He became partner of the firm in 1968 and retired from the firm as a Senior Partner on December 31, 1998. Upon retirement, George continued to act as an arbitrator. And for nearly twenty years, he enjoyed golfing on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the Seniors at The Atlanta Country Club. While at Washington University, George met the love of his life, Beverly Lee Hays, his wife of 53 years. They have two lovely children, Michael Scott McPherson, and Tracey McPherson Klasson, both of Atlanta. He has three wonderful grandchildren who he loved and adored, Carter Lee McPherson, Caroline Beth McPherson, and Chelsea Flynn Klasson. A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church Chapel in Marietta, GA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.