Brian Keith Weatherby

Brian Keith Weatherby, 69, from Lilburn, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. at Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta. He was surrounded by his family: his wife, Donna, his daughter, Rebecca, and his son, Daniel, shortly after hearing the voice of his beloved granddaughter, Scout.

Brian was born on September 23, 1956, in Chamblee, Georgia, to Marion Gordon Weatherby and Wilma Pack Weatherby. He devoted his life to education, earning his undergraduate degree from Mercer University in 1979 and a master's degree in education from the University of North Carolina in 1982. For 34 years, he was a dedicated elementary school teacher, shaping young lives at Lilburn Elementary, Arcado Elementary, and Mountain Park Elementary.

For Brian, teaching extended far beyond the classroom. He created spaces where students could experience learning-through NASA-sponsored Space Clubs, Immersive Decade Days, rich theater programs, and field trips across Georgia. In retirement, he remained close to the classroom, volunteering and serving as a substitute teacher in elementary special education programs.

Outside the classroom, Brian spent more than 20 summers volunteering and working at Camp Rockmont for Boys in Black Mountain, NC. What started in 1999 as a work exchange to give Daniel a chance to experience camp resulted in Rockmont becoming a second home, a touchstone, and an integral part of who Brian was. His love for camp began while on staff at Camp Cherokee in his 20's, where he met many members of his future band, Courthouse Creek, and formed profound friendships that lasted the rest of his life.

To know Brian was to know someone who never did anything halfway. Christmas mornings included half-eaten reindeer carrots, and school physics projects became hours-long collaborations with his children. When he gave gifts, they were never generic or impersonal-his gifts were thoughtful, personal, and often playfully themed after the family name (frequently involving bees). He was a lifelong musician, playing upright bass in his bluegrass band and passing along a love of music to his two children, both of whom carry it into their personal and professional lives. Most importantly, Brian was a deeply silly father who never hesitated to commit to the bit.

Above all, he was generous with his time. If you asked Brian about himself, he would almost certainly redirect the conversation to his family-his children, and most recently, his granddaughter Scout. His love showed up in presence, in attention, and in countless small, intentional ways that made people feel seen. Not only did Brian show up for those he loved, he documented events meticulously. Brian conducted expert-level research on family genealogy that would make any anthropologist proud and contributed to his own family history by writing about significant life events as they occurred. He recorded his daughter's and son-in-law's plays and performances, his son's shows from his days as a touring musician, and took innumerable photos of his granddaughter, Scout.

Though Brian's ability to speak faded in his final days, his humor did not. On the afternoon of his passing, while his family sat beside him on the hospital bed, his son's phone rang. The caller ID showed Brian, impossible as it may seem, but on the other end was Scout, who had somehow found his phone at home and placed the call. As her voice filled the room, a small smirk crossed his face. Shortly after, he took his final breaths, surrounded by the people he loved most.

It was, in its own way, a moment that reflected his life: full of love, connection, and just enough unexpected humor to make everyone in the room smile through their tears.

Brian is survived by his wife of 37 years, Donna; his son Daniel and daughter-in-law Carleigh; his daughter Rebecca and son-in-law Michael; and his cherished granddaughter, Scout Eden Weatherby.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, 5901 Hugh Howell Rd, Stone Mountain, GA. Visitation will take place from 2:00-3:00 p.m., followed by a service from 3:00-4:00 p.m.