Mary Ellen Ambrose

Mrs. Mary Ellen Ambrose, age 97, of McDonough, Georgia, died Wednesday, December 20, 2023. She was born Mary Ellen Yates on December, 25, 1925, to the late John William Yates and the late Mary Rebecca Yates (McCallum) in the Little Five Points area of Atlanta, Georgia.

When Mary Ellen was just two years old, she unintentionally made medical history. She was attacked and severely bitten by a rabid dog on the sidewalk across the street from her house. At this time, if someone was bitten by a rabid animal, it was fatal. There was no cure.

Dr. Thomas F. Sellers, who was the Director of Laboratories at the State of Georgia Health Department, learned about the attack and approached Mary Ellen’s parents to see if they would agree to an experimental treatment. Dr. Sellers wanted to see if this new intervention would save little Mary Ellen from the horrible death that would surely follow from rabies.

Dr. Sellers explained to Mary Ellen’s parents that he had given a similar treatment to two other children unsuccessfully. So, for Mary Ellen, he proposed dramatically increasing the dosage strength to determine if this amount would ultimately prevent her from developing rabies. The dosage he proposed was stronger than had ever been attempted on any other human before. After receiving 67 shots of the serum, Mary Ellen complained that her legs were hurting; so, they stopped. But the course of injections worked. And it became the basis for the modern-day rabies vaccination that would later save countless lives.

After this breakthrough, Dr. Sellers became a “guardian angel” for Mary Ellen and remained involved in both her life and the lives of her family members. He encouraged her by giving her a temporary job at age 16 with the State of Georgia Health Department, and guaranteed her a permanent position if she completed her high school education at Atlanta’s old Commercial High School. She was motivated by his offer and finished her high school education by attending night school. Dr. Sellers proved to be as good as his word: he stood proud at her graduation, and gave her the permanent job with the state health department that he had promised.

During her lifetime, Mary Ellen was employed by the State of Georgia in the governor’s office to manage the Legislative Page Program, and later as a bailiff in the Henry County judicial system for the Henry County Sheriff’s Department. In addition, she and her first husband owned and operated Gregory’s Restaurant in downtown Hampton, Georgia, for many years.

She was a lifelong member of the Lake City Church of Christ in Morrow, Georgia.

She was well-known for her cooking and baking, and she was also a talented craft painter.

She was predeceased by her first husband, Fred Ernest Berger, Sr.; and her second husband, Edward James Ambrose. She was also predeceased by her son, Gregory Lane Berger; four brothers, Billy Yates, John William Yates, James E. Yates and George Blake Yates; and one sister, June Welch. She is survived by her son, Fred E. (Joyce) Berger, Jr., of McDonough, GA; daughter, Mary Rebecca (Frank) Pryor, of Fayetteville, Georgia; grandson, John Berger, of Denver, Colorado; grandson, Beau (Julia) Kelley, of McDonough, GA; granddaughter, Jennifer (Tucker) Perkerson, of McDonough, Georgia; great-grandson, Bryant Perkerson; great granddaughter, Kate Perkerson; brother, Tommy Yates; and many nieces and nephews.

Mary Ellen’s family wishes to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to eldercare nurse Kristin and the entire staff at Benton Village Assisted Living in Stockbridge, Georgia, as well as hospice nurse Ashley and Southern Grace Hospice of McDonough, Georgia.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 23, 2023, at 2pm in the chapel at Haisten Funeral Home in McDonough, Georgia, with Pastor Keith Archibald officiating. The family will receive friends the same day at Haisten Funeral Home in McDonough, Georgia, beginning at 1pm. Interment will follow at Berea Cemetery in Hampton, Georgia, with Minister Chris Abercrombie officiating.