Eli Owen Stidham

Eli Owen Stidham, 17, of Winder, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Born in Athens, he was the only child of Derrick Justin Stidham and Faith McEntyre Stidham. Eli fought a courageous battle with Tay-Sachs disease and, through his incredible strength and determination, lived far beyond his life expectancy. He brought love and joy to all who knew him and had a special place in his heart for Disney movies and otters. For 10 years, his life and legacy were celebrated through “Eli’s Cruise for a Cure,” a car show created in his honor that brought people together to support Eli and raise awareness for Tay-Sachs disease. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, whose exceptional care, kindness, and dedication meant so much to Eli and his family throughout his journey.

Survivors include his parents, Derrick and Faith Stidham and a host of extended family and friends.

Memorial services for Eli will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm at Winder First United Methodist Church in the Fellowship Hall.

As there is currently no cure or treatment for Tay-Sachs disease, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation at www.curetah-sachs.org or to The National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association (NTSAD) at www.ntsad.org.

Lord and Stephens, West is in charge of arrangements.