William Otto Schalla

William O. Schalla of Cumming, Georgia (formerly from Blairsville, GA and Lilburn, GA) died April 3, 2025. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, graduated from Davenport High School and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was a teaching assistant during his last year at this university. He was a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa, Department of Microbiology, and fulfilled all requirements to be awarded a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa in medical microbiology. He served in the US army and was a veteran during the conflict in Vietnam. He was a public health scientist at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) retiring after 34 years of dedicated service. During his career at CDC, he authored or co-authored more than 90 publications in scientific journals and chapters in seven medical reference books. He also represented scientific information at many national and international scientific conferences. Twice he received a Superior Work Performance Award from the Department of Health and Human Services, (DHHS), the parent agency of CDC as well as numerous awards from the CDC. For many years he was chief of an international performance evaluation program, helping laboratories all over the world and testing for HIV and other retroviruses. He was a member of Lambda Sigma Tau, National Honorary Science Fraternity and a member of Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. After retirement he was a consultant, part-time, for a major scientific information company.

He enjoyed trout fishing, pheasant and quail hunting, duck hunting, camping, hiking and anything to do outdoors. While living in Lilburn, Georgia He was a member of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church where he served as a deacon and elder. He was also Cub Master of a Cub scout pack at that church, later becoming an Assistant Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout troop in Snellville, Georgia. He also coached youth soccer for several years and was the Assistant Coach of a Gwinnett Soccer Association Phoenix Division team that was the 1990 State Premier Division Champions. After moving to Cumming, Georgia, he became a member of Deer Creek Shores Presbyterian Church.

He is preceeded in death by his father and mother, William O.E. and Louise E. Shalla and by a sister Jean Marie Scala Banks.

He leaves behind a wife, Julie Ann of 56 years of Cumming, GA, a son and daughter-in-law, William Bradley and Mary Beth Schalla of Tucker, GA, a granddaughter Emma Gail Schalla of Tucker, GA, a grandson Tyler Schalla and a granddaughter Sydney Schalla of North Liberty, Iowa. Numerous other relatives also survive.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 15, 2025 from 1:00 pm until service time at 2:00 pm. A graveside service will follow at Sawnee View Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be Don Wagner, Bubba McDonald, Jerry Scarborough, Waymond Henry,
Mel Smith, and Ron Studd.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in William's name to Deer Creek Shores Presbyterian Church.