Holly Allen Mull, 64: Was Parade Queen of Atlanta

Holly Mull, the eldest daughter of a Michigan mayor, served as an assistant and director of festivals and special events for four Atlanta mayors.

In a 30-year career, she worked for mayors Sam Massell, Maynard Jackson, Andrew Young and Bill Campbell. She helped plan and organize major events as a public servant and later as president of Holly Mull & Associates, her events production agency.

"She was very professional in her conduct with all governmental and civic groups,"  Mr. Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition, wrote in a statement. "In addition to understanding the rules, you could always trust Holly's good judgment and sensitivity to the public partnership."

In the community, Mrs. Mull made her mark, notably as an Inman Park pioneer. She and her former husband, Gale Mull, moved into the neighborhood in 1971 and restored a house on Elizabeth Street.

"She gave Inman Park a vitality that I know has been appreciated for many years," said resident Marilyn Grist. "She was instrumental in starting the historic preservation movement here and was just a strong advocate at the city and neighborhood level."

Thursday, Holly Allen Mull of Atlanta died from complications of a massive stroke at Emory Hospital. She was 64. A memorial service will be held sometime in November at St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Mrs. Mull was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., the daughter of the late Glenn S. Allen Jr., town mayor from 1951 to 1959. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Michigan State University and a master's degree in urban planning at Georgia State University.

In 1968, she began her career as a researcher in the city's planning department. Mayor Andrew Young appointed her to the department of marketing and communications in 1983. There, she organized and played a role in numerous festivities.

They include the 1995 Atlanta Braves World Series Parade; the arrival ceremony for the 1996 Summer Olympic torch; and the 1998 Atlanta Sister Cities Celebration.

Mrs. Mull was also part of Atlanta's Olympic legacy. The city sent her with Billy Payne to an informational seminar held in the late 1980s at the Colorado headquarters of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

In 1998, the special events coordinator left the city after 15 years in that role. She became vice president for sponsorship and special events at Ivory Communications, and eventually founded Holly Mull & Associates.

In 2003, her agency earned its second GAFFER award -- Georgia's Finest in Festivals and Event Recognition -- for the inaugural Downtown Neighborhood Festival. The recognition was given by the Georgia Festival and Events Association.