Miriam Perry Calhoun

Published 5:53 pm Sunday, July 10, 2022

Harbinger – Miriam Perry Calhoun, 93, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2022 at home with her loving family by her side. Miriam was born April 28, 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio to the late Emmanuel vonBetzen and Gertrude Perry.

Miriam was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She savored life and never over complicated it. She reminded us all to look at the joys in the little things. She was a lover of poetry and nature. She had a green thumb and could grow anything. She also loved a good bourbon especially if it was mixed into her favorite Manhattan.

As a youth Miriam was actively involved with the Girls Scouts of America where she made lifelong friends. During high school at Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Miriam was a member of the Washington DC area champion women’s basketball team. Miriam graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Bacteriology from the University of Maryland in 1951. During that time she was proud to be inducted into the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Her academic achievements led Miriam to land her first job with US Public Health Service at the UNC School of Public Health. She later was a scientist at the Food Drug Administration (FDA) in Rockville, Maryland and worked toward the betterment of public health and safety her entire career. After her retirement from the FDA, she continued her work in the private sector as a consultant in pharmaceutical regulation.

Miriam was long time resident of Maryland and shared a home for over 25 years that she and her husband designed and built in Potomac. They later made Harbinger, North Carolina their permanent home after being a seasonal residence for over 50 years. Her time in North Carolina helped fine tune her skills as a sailor, avid bird watcher, and as a chef making her specialties such as spinach soufflé and cinnamon rolls family favorites. Miriam was an active volunteer at All Saints Episcopal Church participating in the church’s successful Holly Days bazaars and the popular After Dark continuing education program.

Miriam is survived by her beloved husband of almost 60 years, Richard; two children, Alice and Preston both of Maryland; daughter-in-law Nicole; three grandchildren (Andrew, Ryan, and Abby); four nieces and nephews, and several other extended family members and dear friends.

Plans for a memorial service honoring the life of Miriam Calhoun are scheduled for to be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Southern Shores on August 5, 2022 at 2 p.m. Gallop Funeral services is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.gallopfuneralservices.com.

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