John David Engel, Jr.

Jay Engel, MD, 55, formerly of Atlanta, passed away unexpectedly from an ongoing medical condition on March 6, 2026, at his home in Carrollton, Georgia.

Born in Atlanta on July 13, 1970, to Dr. John Engel and Pat Engel, Jay graduated from The Westminster Schools in the Class of 1989. He earned his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, before receiving his medical degree from Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completing his Emergency Medicine residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

After careful consideration, Jay returned to Georgia and began his career as an emergency physician at Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton. He and Bunchie welcomed their daughters, Emma in 2003 and Hollis in 2004. After a successful 17-year tenure in the ER, he transitioned to family medicine at the US Med Clinic near his home, where he appreciated the opportunity to build deeper relationships with his patients and occasionally brought his beloved Yellow Lab, Lucy, to work.

Jay shared a lifelong love of the outdoors with his father and brothers, enjoying skiing, hunting, fishing, boating, golf, and scuba diving. He cherished time spent on the Chattahoochee River with his Brandon Hall friends, family beach vacations at Hilton Head, ski trips out West, gatherings at the cabin on Lake Sinclair, and later at their home on Lubbers Quarters Cay in the Abacos—until it was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. In Carrollton, he was known for his warm, outgoing nature and the ease with which he made friends. He took great pride in watching Emma and Hollis excel in Division I sports and pursue careers in healthcare, and he delighted in fishing trips to Gulf Shores, horse shows, beach volleyball matches, summer concerts at the Amp, and quiet evenings with friends.

Jay was preceded in death by his father, John Engel. He is survived by his mother, Pat; daughters, Emma and Hollis; former wife and friend, Bunchie; brothers, Brennen and Ryan (Blakely); and nephews, James and William.