Charlotte Elizabeth Catherine Grady Mcmullan

On this day, February 11, 2025, Charlotte Elizabeth Catherine Grady McMullan, accompanied by her guardian angel, was spirited away by leprechauns to a magical field of shamrocks in her ancestral home in Ireland. Fictional as that may seem, Charlotte’s life story is full of unbelievable accomplishments, personal and business challenges and achievements that surely seemed out of reach for a young woman from a large Catholic family in Ohio. She moved to the south almost six decades ago, heard all of the jokes about the south from family and friends back home and surprised them all when she adapted to and adopted Georgia as her new home. Charlotte was not an idle bench warmer; she threw her energy into making Macon a great place to live. She was the first female Certified Public Accountant in Macon, achieving that position as she said, “by the back door.” Without an accounting degree, Charlotte passed college degree equivalency tests, the accounting exit exam, a graduate school admissions test, finally standing for the three-day national accounting exam which she passed, something that did not surprise her husband, her most ardent fan and partner in business, the accounting firm of McMullan & McMullan.

Charlotte garnered a lot of “firsts” in her lifetime. She was the first woman to chair the volunteer board of the Macon Chamber of Commerce. She was the first woman to hold the position of president of the local CPA society; first woman to serve on the Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority and the first woman to serve on the board of the Shield Club, an organization that provides funding and grants for law enforcement officers and their families. In 1996 she was the first woman to run for chairman of the County Commissioners, losing a close race to the multi-termed incumbent, Larry Justice. Charlotte could never be described as a “social butterfly.” Her efforts were invested in improving lives through action. She was a founding board member of Crisis Line and of Adopt-A-Role-Model, chaired the Executive Forum of   Mercer University, served on the Board of Governors of the Grand Opera House, was a member of the Executive Committee of Newtown Macon and was treasurer of the Middle Georgia Coliseum Authority. In 1993, Charlotte was the recipient of the Woman of Achievement Award from Career Women’s Network and was named a Woman of Distinction in 2006 by Wesleyan College.

Years from now, Charlotte’s long list of awards and achievements may not be remembered, but her friends, co-workers and clients can always recall one of her subtle, but wicked remarks that could ease the pain of bad news in the accountant’s office or lighten the mood of a tense situation.  As those that worked with her knew well, she did not suffer fools and could dispense with them with dispatch. She had a way of simplifying complicated issues, not an easy task in the accounting field and was an ardent supporter and cheerleader for women in business. Many women professionals across Macon count her as both friend and mentor.  Any interview with Charlotte included her telling her listener how proud she was of her children and how fortunate she felt to have been their parent.

Charlotte was fiercely loyal to friends and that devotion was reciprocated in multiple ways. She was asked by the Kruger family, owners of L. E. Schwartz and Company, to take the CFO position with that company after Charlotte and Fain had sold their practice.  As Melvin Kruger said at the time, “I can’t imagine Charlotte sitting at home or playing bridge. She has too much to offer and we need her.” Charlotte stayed with L. E. Schwartz for almost eight years before once again retiring from what she referred to as her second family. She often mentioned how grateful she was to Melvin, Steve and Michael Kruger for their friendship and for their trust in her. Rumor has it that Charlotte was one of the first women to infiltrate the all-male, annual L. E. Schwartz eggnog party long before she worked there.

Charlotte is survived by her daughters, Karen McMullan of Macon and Maureen Howard (Frank) of Cincinnati; her grandchildren, Audrey Elizabeth Fain Howard and Aaron Earl Howard of Cincinnati; Fain’s daughter, Cathy Umstead (Alan) of Nashville; her sisters, Edwina Grady and Laura Grady; and brothers, Quentin Grady, Patrick Grady and Marty Grady; and by close friends Charles Collins, Barbara Stephens and Katherine Walden, all of Macon. Charlotte was predeceased by her husband, Vandiver Fain McMullan; her brother John Grady; and by her constant lap companion, the miniature poodle, Coco.

A celebration of life will be held on March 4, 2025, at Hart’s at the Cupola on Peake Road at 4:00 pm.

Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express your condolences.

Hart’s at the Cupola, Hart's Mortuary and Cremation Center, 6324 Peake Rd, Macon, GA 31210 has charge of the arrangements.