South Carolina mourns loss of Mary Elizabeth Mullikin

Remembering attorney, former White House (presidential) advance team member, and eldest daughter of SCDNR director

Mary Elizabeth Mullikin, Esq. 38, of Camden, was called home to the Lord on March 30, 2025 following a brief illness.

Born on July 3,1986, in Columbia, South Carolina, Mary Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of Thomas Stowe Mullikin and Virginia Ann Mullikin.

From her earliest years, Mary Elizabeth was known for her strong and vivacious personality, passion for life, and enthusiasm for achieving her goals.

As the firstborn of four siblings, she had a deep love for her immediate family, her large extended family, and her friends. She showed this love for her family in countless ways throughout her life. As a young child, she was an eager participant in Christmas pageant plays held in the front yard of the Mullikin home on Fair Street with many first cousins. As an adult, she was a gracious and eager host for many gatherings at the Mullikin household, including family Thanksgivings and Christmases, as well as Carolina Cup events that were a source of great joy and fun for attendees from across South Carolina and around the country and world.

Mary Elizabeth cherished her friendships and was a loyal friend to many who she met at each stage of her life. Additionally, she relished her role as Aunt “Miz” to her beloved niece and nephews. These children were lavished with loving attention, experiences, and gifts that brought great joy to Mary Elizabeth.

Mary Elizabeth was a talented athlete, playing several sports as a young child and in high school. While she played many sports, her greatest sporting accomplishments were in tennis and martial arts. She held the number one position on the Camden High School tennis team. Mary Elizabeth also excelled in American freestyle karate, earning a black belt in that discipline. She would eventually become an avid SCUBA diver often assisting her father Tom, a certified SCUBA diving instructor, with the organization and preparation of SCUBA classes.

Mary Elizabeth was a gifted and determined student. After graduating from Camden High School, Mary Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree (a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting) from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at USC.

Following her time at USC, Mary Elizabeth served in the White House as a member of the Presidential Advance Team under former President George W. Bush. She also worked in the South Carolina Senate.

Mary Elizabeth, the first child of two lawyer parents, was born while her mother was still in law school. She always seemed destined for a career in law and found great success in the legal field. She graduated from the Charleston School of Law in 2011. She spent time at both a boutique tax law firm and a large multi-state law firm performing research for corporate mergers and acquisitions during law school.

Mary Elizabeth worked for the law firm started by her parents, the Mullikin Law Firm, and gained experience and extensive knowledge on state and federal laws governing health care and insurance and the South Carolina legislative process. This led her to a position at BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina where she was very accomplished lawyer and lobbyist. She was known for being a uniquely tenacious and zealous advocate for BlueCross BlueShield before the South Carolina General Assembly and was beloved by legislators and government affairs colleagues.

(L-R) Mary Elizabeth Mullikin, Governor Henry McMaster, Virginia Ann Mullikin (mother), Dr. Tom Mullikin (father), Senator Thomas Alexander, Thomas Mullikin Jr. (brother), and Alex M. Tomlinson (sister). Not pictured is sister Charlie Mullikin Whitney.

Mary Elizabeth was known for supporting other women in the practice of law and government affairs. Also, she also had a deep conviction for supporting victims of domestic abuse. This led her to serve on the board of directors of Pathways to Healing, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization aimed at ending sexual violence through advocacy, education, and supportive services for domestic abuse victims in South Carolina.

Mary Elizabeth had many achievements throughout her life in wide range of activities and interests. She was defined by her faith, passion for serving others, and loyalty to her family and friends. Her courage, creativity, work ethic, and commitment in her career were notable manifestations of her drive to be the best in all that she did.

Mary Elizabeth is survived by her parents Dr. Tom Mullikin and Virginia Ann Mullikin, her maternal grandmother Elva “Maw Maw” Pitsenbarger, her brother Thomas Mullikin Jr. (Alicia), sisters Alex Tomlinson (Brant) and Charlie Whitney (Will), her niece and nephews, Thomas “Stowe” Mullikin III, Anna “Gibbs” and “Baylor” Davis Tomlinson, and William “Liam” English Whitney IV and Charles Theodore “Theo” Whitney, as well her aunts, uncles, many cousins, and her beloved fiancé Brad Burns.

The Mary Elizabeth Mullikin Environmental Scholarship for Women and Children was established, April 1, 2025.