Nathan C. Stophel of Chattanooga, 60, died on September 28, after a year-long battle with cancer.
He is survived by his mother, Pauline Phipps Stophel, a daughter, Keri, a nephew, Hunter Bethea, a brother-in-law, Richard Bethea, six uncles and aunts, and several cousins.
He was predeceased by his father, John C. Stophel, a prominent attorney in Chattanooga, and a sister, Phyllis Stophel Bethea.
After attending Brandon Hall School in Atlanta and receiving additional technical training, particularly in motorcycle engines, Nathan served several years as an instructor at AMI American Motorcycle Institute in Daytona Beach, Florida. He became widely known among motorcycle enthusiasts as being unusually adept and talented at diagnosing problems with and repairing motorcycle engines. He loved to participate in drag racing of bikes, as he called them. An entrepreneur at heart, during his working career he owned and operated Nathan’s Cycle Service, Inc., a motorcycle repair shop, and New 2 U, LLC, a used motorcycle parts company, despite his disabilities, including diabetes and dyslexia. Nathan was a long-time member of Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga.
A memorial service will be conducted by Reverend Pierce McIntyre at the Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory & Florist-East Chapel, at 404 South Moore Road, in Chattanooga at 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, following visitation from 12-1 p.m. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites friends to donate to the building fund at Brainerd Baptist Church, 300 Brookfield Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37411 in Nathan’s memory.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.