Marsha McAlum

Ms. Marsha McAlum, 61, of Swainsboro passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at her residence.

She was born in McRae on January 2, 1964, to the late John Duncan McAlum and Hazel Mae Kersey McAlum at the Telfair County Hospital. She was one of eight siblings, but to the others she was just a toy. The doctors said she would never sit, walk, or crawl, even though she accomplished most. It was hard on her mother, who made sure every day was special for her. At age seven Marsha went to stay at the nursing home in Hazlehurst, GA, and stayed there for several years while she attended school, after that she returned home to her parents. She was fourteen when a law was passed allowing her to attend public school, and as soon as she could she attended Wheeler County High School and graduated in 1982. After graduation she went to Warm Springs, a rehabilitation center, where she studied being a switchboard operator and where she first learned to drive on her own and be more independent.

Her first job was at the Jeff Davis Hospital as a microfilmest, she later moved to Wadley and worked for the Wadley Police Department as a dispatcher for two years. She then went to stay with her sister in Eatonton and worked at Perky Caps making caps for a summer. After that she worked at the Wheeler County Hospital as a switchboard operator and other things as well. In 1992 her father passed away from cancer, and she and her mother moved back to Wadley. Then in early 1995 her mother passed away, and Marsha thought her life was over. My niece, Julie, had a little girl named Kimberly Marie Bell. It took Marsha only a few weeks to decide that her life was worth living for this little girl. She kept little Kimberly from the time she was about two months until she started school. She became like her daughter, and she called her Mama from the beginning. She took her to her first day of school, and Marsha cried all the way home. She then knew what being a mother was like when their child goes to school. She was there for her kindergarten graduation and all of her dance recitals. Her nieces and nephews were more like her children and their children were like her grandchildren.

Through having spinal bifida Marsha had a lot of hurdles to overcome. She lived a full and happy life.

This obituary was written by Ms. Marsha herself; with everything she wanted her friends and family to know about her.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother; Gladus McAlum; nephew, Alan Knight; niece, Amy Claxton; great-nephew, Justin Lamb.

She is survived by her special adopted parents, Lamar and Ione Little of Vidalia, her sisters, Sandra (Jimmy) Phillips of Swainsboro, and Frances (Mike) Thigpen of Cochran, her brothers, Comer (Becky) McAlum of Alamo and John McAlum of Independence, MO, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Blundale Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to services.

Interment will follow in the Blundale Baptist Church Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be her nephews.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chapmanfhofswainsboro.com.

Chapman Funeral Home of Swainsboro is in charge of the arrangements for Ms. Marsha McAlum, 61, of Swainsboro.