Rattray Remembered as Devoted Student, Passionate Environmentalist

People from all walks of life packed St. Simon's Episcopal Church in Conyers Saturday morning to honor the memory of Liam Rattray.

They were professors, musicians, entrepreneurs, activists, students and retirees.

They wore suits, jeans, T-shirts, ties and even kilts.

They came from across the metro area, state, country and globe.

One by one, a cross-section of the group stood to eulogize the passionate environmental advocate and self-described “modern renaissance man.” Rattray, a recent Georgia Tech graduate and alumnus, died after his motorcycle was struck by a drunk driver last Monday in Little Five Points.

“This is something you never prepare for,” said Rattray’s uncle at the beginning of the memorial service. “But unfortunately it’s where we are today.”

Ian Rattray remembered his son as a change agent passionate about a broad range of issues.

“He really began to change the world,” he said. “One person at a time, one issue at a time. And actually, as we all know, it wasn’t one issue at a time.”

He went on to read selections from the 35 pages of conciliatory emails the family received following Monday’s tragedy.

One email from a childhood friend of Rattray’s urged those who knew him to continue to draw on his example for inspiration.

“Just ask yourself: ‘What would Liam do?’” it said.

Jennifer Rattray recalled how she admired her brother and the busy life he led. She spoke just feet away from a picture of the two overjoyed siblings at her Lakeside High graduation two weeks ago.

“He was right out of a book,” she said. “I can’t imagine writing a book about him. It would never end.”

Richard Barke, a professor at the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy, remembered Rattray as a remarkable student.

“He saw no boundaries between intellect and passion, between study and action,” he said. “This was my first eulogy, and it was surprisingly easy to prepare because Liam made it obvious what needed to be said.”

Before the mourners proceeded to Rattray’s burial, two musician friends of Rattray’s played Ry Cooder’s “Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All,” an ode to Rattray’s passion for organic farming. The guitarist and accordion player kissed Rattray’s casket as they returned to their seats.

The funeral party then followed the casket to the Honey Creek Woodlands Cemetery in Conyers. Rattray’s family selected the cemetery because it is also a nature conservatory, which they said were in accordance with his principles.

Dozens of friends and family gathered around Rattray’s casket at the heavily wooded burial grounds. They shared favorite memories and wrote goodbye notes to Rattray on the casket.

A trumpet-playing friend of Rattray’s played Cake’s “Sad Songs and Waltzes” as he was lowered into the ground.

It is a song Liam once played at his grandmother's funeral.

"There wasn't a dry eye in the space," his father said, remembering.