Steve Styles

Steve Styles, 80, of Dawsonville passed away Friday August 24, 2018 at his residence following a period of declining health.

Mr. Styles was preceded in death by paternal grandparents Rev. William Asbury and Dora Payne Styles, maternal grandparents John Henry and Susan Jay Stephens, parents E.E. and Lucile Styles.  Also by infant siblings Patricia, Dan, and Roy Styles and adult

Sister, Betty Jean Styles.  He is survived by his sister Anne Styles, Kennesaw, Georgia.

Steve was paralyzed on the left side from a Traumatic Brain Injury from an automobile accident in Saudi Arabia in 1984.  No one expected him to survive as long as he did and certainly not as successfully as he did.  He said the world was designed for two handed people, and it was very difficult for  him to exist in that world

He survived the automobile accident thanks to many people in Saudi Arabia.  A Saudi policeman stopped a private automobile and commandeered the driver to drive to King Saud hospital while the policeman held Steve’s head and kept him alive on the way to the hospital.  At the hospital there was a visiting Canadian neurosurgeon on a teaching assignment.  The surgeon operated immediately to remove blood clots, not waiting to obtain permissions or to be delayed by procedures.

After more than a month in a coma, Steve was airlifted on the King’s private airplane from Riyadh to Bahrain.  From there he was airlifted to Gatwick airport in London where he spent the night and was then airlifted by British Airways to Atlanta to Emory Hospital.   He could not speak but he could write.  Some of the nurses asked if he knew where he was.  He wrote “The Coca Cola Hospital” referring to Coke’s immense support of Emory hospital. A lot of people did not understand his reference.

With tremendous dedication and hard work, Steve was able to basically live an independent life for several years.  He even was able to pursue some of his basic love of travel.  Before his accident in 1984 Steve visited a tremendous number of foreign countries and made several “around the world” flights where he departed at points he wished to see.

He was a graduate of Dawson County High School and the Georgia Institute of Technology.  He was one of their most loyal supporters of Tech’s baseball, football, and basketball teams.

He was of the Methodist faith, a member of McKee’s Chapel United Methodist Church, and was a lifelong supporter of Lumpkin Campground.  He spent three years in the U.S. Army being stationed in Munich, Germany.

To sum it up, he loved people, loved travel, and loved life to its fullest extent.

Steve will be interred privately in Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery in the family plot.

Memorial services will be held Thursday August 30, 2018 at Bearden Funeral Home Chapel at 11:30 a.m.  Rev. Phil DeMore will officiate.

The family will receive friends Thursday at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the hour of service.

Condolences may be expressed at www.beardenfuneralhome.com.

Bearden Funeral Home, Dawsonville, GA.