Obituary: Joel Thomas Conway, Jr. Dies at 34

Joel Thomas Conway, Jr., 34, of Hoschton was driving south on Georgia Highway 124 just before 7 a.m. Oct. 31 when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer, according to the Athen Banner-Herald.

He lost control of his 2009 Mazda SUV and ran off the road. The SUV struck two trees, and the impact from the second tree caused the car to flip over.

When Jackson County firefighters and EMTs responded to the scene, Conway already had died from his injuries.

He was born in Riverdale, Ga. on Sept. 7, 1977 to Joel Thomas, Sr. and Mary Conway. He joined an older sister, Jill.

After graduation from Lassiter High School in Northeast Cobb in 1996, Conway enrolled at Cumberland University where he also played football. Sidelined due to an injury, he continued his education at Valdosta State University graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He then went on to complete a Masters of Arts in Teaching at LaGrange College in 2002. He began his teaching and coaching career at Woodstock High School in that fall. In the summer of 2008, he moved with his wife to Jackson County and began teaching social studies and coaching both football and baseball at Jackson County Comprehensive High School. Earlier this year, he joined his wife at East Jackson County Comprehensive High School as a social studies teacher, football coach, and baseball coach.

Conway is survived by his wife Melissa and son Evan of Hoschton; his parents, Tom and Mary Conway of Bainbridge; his mother-in-law, Kristi Musick of Imperial, Nebraska; his grandmother, Vera Wells of Stone Mountain; another grandmother, Agnes Conway of Americus; his sister, Jill Fowler of Lagrange. He is also survived by his aunts and uncles: Betty and John Wells of Carrollton; Betty and Roger Daniel of Carrollton; Paul Wells and Mary Young of Decatur. Max, his chocolate Labrador Retriever, along with many cousins and other loved ones survive him as well.

The Post Searchlight has the full obituary.