A Cobb County middle school teacher died while on vacation in Florida.

Mary Barkley died Monday after she was caught in a rip current while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a letter sent to parents.

Barkley was a seventh-grade lead and life sciences teacher at Dodgen Middle School, where she taught for 16 years.

She also saved two lives as an organ donor, according to the letter.

About the Author

Keep Reading

On April 8, 1974, in Atlanta, Hank Aaron smashed baseball’s home run record. Our special coverage celebrating the 50th anniversary of this magical moment has begun online and in our print editions. There’s still more to come as Monday’s historic anniversary arrives.

Credit: Richard Watkins

Featured

Rose Scott signals as Closer Look goes on air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray / AJC file)

Credit: Ben Gray