Notes:
Data source is the 1971 self published book by Richard Glenn Huffman [deceased], "George Muma Genealogy".
MOOMAW, Ellen
Ellen Winger Moomaw passed peacefully at home on September 22, 2022, one day after celebrating her 62nd birthday. She lived tenaciously, even joyfully, with pulmonary fibrosis for 9 years.
Ellen was born on September 21,1960, to David and Jeanne Moomaw of Jacksonville. She had an older sister Audrey and a younger sister Fran, born 8 years later. Even in childhood, Ellen's passions were evident. She loved playing outdoors with her friends and conducting experiments with a chemistry set. She was independent, sailing her Sunfish on the St. Johns River, skateboarding at the "Wedge," which was a ramp beneath a highway overpass, and riding her bicycle to school at Episcopal from her home in Avondale. She swam on the swim team at Lee High School, where she graduated. Ellen loved math and science and earned a scholarship to a summer program at Mary Baldwin College.
Ellen earned a degree in chemistry from Mary Baldwin, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and a master's in biochemistry from Emory University. She moved to San Diego, California, where she worked at Molecular Biosystems and Agouron Pharmaceuticals. Ellen focused on enzymatic mechanisms in pharmaceutical discovery research; her work contributed to the discovery of multiple therapeutics.
After a career as a pharmaceutical chemist, Ellen became interested in teaching and taught at a community college and Point Loma High School before obtaining her PhD in chemistry at the University of Florida. Ellen loved academic life and poured energy into her research and teaching. She was a professor of chemistry at Gainesville State College and then Kennesaw State University. She earned grants from the National Science Foundation which enabled her to continue her research, exploring the application of enzymology and crystallography to a broad scope of biochemical research. Ellen built an impressive body of work in the scientific literature, the list of which may be seen on Google Scholar.
Ellen made friends wherever she went. Amy Villafranca and James McKinley became a second family for her in her twenties when she first lived in San Diego. Even when they lived in different states, the three talked regularly, took trips together, and supported each other. Ellen loved traveling and, ever independent, journeyed on her own to Alaska, Australia, China, and Israel, even when she required oxygen to do so. Ellen had many hobbies and enjoyed creative writing, meeting annually with a group for writing workshops. She loved word games and played Scrabble often with friends and family.
Participation in Alcoholics Anonymous was an important part of Ellen's life. In recent years, her Saturday morning meeting was a focal point of her week, and she took on Zoom hosting duties when meetings went online. Ellen supported many others in their sobriety as a sponsor and gained strength and camaraderie from her friendships in this group.
Ellen's family thanks her devoted caregiver, Melissa Baugh-Waldon, and her friends in her condominium, Alejandra Praddaude and Maryann Newlin, who offered friendship and loving support in Ellen's last years.
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Jacksonville on October 8 at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation in memory of Ellen. www.Pulmonaryfibrosis.org
Online condolences may be made at www.GeorgiaMemorialPark.com.
Published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Oct. 2, 2022.