Stephen Attaway

Stephen W. Attaway, PhD



Dr. Stephen W. Attaway passed away the morning of February 28, 2019. Steve was born in Leeds, Alabama on February 10, 1960. Steve received his Doctorate in Engineering in Computational Mechanics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia in 1986. Steve had been employed at Sandia National Laboratories since February 16, 1987 and was a Senior Scientist. He was a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a Fellow in the National Speleological Society. Growing up in the South, he was an active caver since his high school years and served in cave rescue alongside his father. Steve served in Albuquerque Mountain Rescue as a rescue leader, performing hundreds of rescue missions in the wilderness of New Mexico. Steve was an award-winning jeweler and gem carver and a pioneer in jewelry making technology and techniques, in concert with his wife, Nancy, who is an award-winning facetor of gems and designer of original pieces. Steve was also a member of the New Mexico Faceters Guild. Steve is survived by his wife of thirty-five years, Nancy L. Attaway; his father, John W. Attaway, Jr.; his mother, Betty Joyce Basden; and sister, Myrna Attaway. Services will be held at the Bold Springs Presbyterian Church in Leeds, Alabama on Saturday, March 23, 2019. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Albuquerque Country Club, 601 Laguna Blvd. SW. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be may made to the Albuquerque Mountain Rescue team at www.abqmountainrescue.org/donate.


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