Georgia McArthur Ude, of Pulaski, passed away September 30, 2024, after living with Alzheimer’s for the past 5 years, at The Lantern at Morning Pointe in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 81. She lived an adventurous and full life, always teaching others and leading anyone she could in adventuring with her.
Georgia Lou McArthur was born on July 12, 1943, in Mullins, South Carolina. She spent much of her childhood in Sarasota, Florida, with her older sister Jo, now Jo-Ellen Gorris of Bradenton, Florida. While at Sarasota High School she was an aerialist in the Sarasota Sailor Circus, and then gained her degree and teaching certificate from Florida State. She began her teaching career in Ft. Lauderdale, where she spent all of her free time in the sun on the beach. It wasn’t long before Georgia decided it was time to travel the world, and signed up to teach with the American military’s dependent schools. The first place that she was stationed to teach was Goose Air Base, Labrador, Canada. There she earned her pilot’s license, and also began her biggest adventure in meeting the love of her life and her best friend, George Edgar Ude, Jr. This paused Georgia’s world travels, as eight months later, on June 20, 1970, they were married and moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where their two sons, Chris and Kevin, were born.
In 1979 Georgia and her family moved to Pulaski, Tennessee, where she taught Spanish, gave swimming lessons, performed magic as Coco the Clown, and was very active in the life of First Presbyterian Church of Pulaski. She also spent many years leading Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorers on caving, canoeing, biking, camping trips, and many other adventures. Georgia also was able to resume her world travels as the International Student Advisor at Martin Methodist College, visiting the home countries of many of the college students whom she had helped begin their adventures by studying and playing sports in the US.
Georgia will be best remembered, however, for the adventures she and George helped begin in their sons Chris and Kevin, daughters-in-law Allison and Alice, and grandchildren Samantha & Rachel and Otto & Greta.
Funeral service will be held later this month at the Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee, where her body will be laid with that of her lifelong love, George.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests you honor Georgia by taking your loved ones on an adventure, even if it’s just to the ice cream shop for a scoop of pralines n’ cream.
Bennett- May & Pierce Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements for Georgia Ude.
