Funeral services will be held Friday for a well-known Northeast Georgia physician who died in a plane crash in Tennessee.
Dr. Lionel Dain Meadows, age 54, of Clarkesville, passed away Monday, May 8.
Meadows was piloting a small plane on Sunday when it crashed in the Cherokee National Forest in Polk County during a storm. Colleagues say Meadows had spent the weekend visiting family. He was on his way back home from South Bend, Indiana, when the plane went down.
Meadows was a board-certified obstetrician and cosmetic surgeon. He was the owner and medical director of Meadows Surgical Arts, with practices in Commerce, Buford, and Monroe, Georgia.
Before going into cosmetic surgery, Meadows spent ten years as a senior partner at the Women’s Wellness Center in Toccoa.
Tributes
Since his death, there has been an outpouring of community grief over Dr. Meadows’ sudden passing.
Banks County Sheriff Carlton Speed posted a tribute to social media on Wednesday that talked about the impact Meadows had on the community.
“He was an incredible supporter of our law enforcement family and the community of Banks County as a whole,” the sheriff said. “Unknown to many, he was a consistent contributor to our communities’ children through our Shop with a Hero and CHAMPS programs. Additionally, he supported our personnel with ongoing encouragement and prayers.”
Meadows was a generous supporter of the Habersham Community Theater in Clarkesville and a beloved member of the local community.
“He was such a great person,” says Amy Westmoreland, who worked with Dr. Meadows in Toccoa and whose son he delivered. “Always friendly and supportive. He will be missed.”
“So sad,” commented Pam Bennett on Now Habersham’s Facebook page. “He was a great doctor. Prayers for his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed within the community.”
Colleagues announced Dr. Meadows’ passing in a social media post on Monday. They called him a “beloved friend, mentor, and inspiration to many of us.”
“He was a brilliant surgeon and doctor who touched the lives of so many with his kindness and passion for delivering exceptional patient care. Dr. Meadows was known for praying with each of his patients before surgery, and we ask for your prayers now as we mourn his death.”
“He is greatly missed and will be forever remembered as a strong pillar of positivity and hope within the north Georgia region,” said Sheriff Speed.
Meadows is survived by his wife, Kathryn, and their two children.
Visitation and funeral
Whitlock Mortuary in Toccoa is handling the funeral arrangements. Visitation with the family will be held Thursday, May 11, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home at 120 Rose Lane.
The funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, May 12, at the First Baptist Church of Toccoa.
The service will be live-streamed via the Meadows Surgical Arts Facebook page.
The family asks that instead of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Surgical Hope Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 1238, Commerce, GA 30529.
