Houston, TX - Gary Q. Abernathy, Media Relations Director for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) died in his hometown last Friday. Unconfirmed reports indicate he apparently died of complications of pneumonia during a trip to visit some sick relatives. He was 29 years old.
Abernathy has just begun his second stint at the SIAC conference office, having been named to the position in July. Prior to returning to Atlanta, he was sports information director at Texas Southern University.
He attended and graduated from Lutheran South High School in Houston and received his B.A. degree in Mass Communications from Morehouse College in 1992. During his brief career, he served as assistant sports information director at Morehouse; public relations intern with the Atlanta Falcons; sports information director at Albany State College and a press operations manager for the 1996 Olympic Games. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Black College Sports Information Directors Association.
Abernathy is survived by his father Gary R. Abernathy and wife Debra; mother Helen McCoy Abernathy; brothers Homer Jordan, Jerrod Abernathy and Quincy Bates; sisters Karen Abernathy Haith, Michelle Abernathy Chairs, Eboni Bates and Shawna Clouser.
Visitation will be held at McCoy & Harrison Funeral Home, 4916 M.L. King, on Tuesday, August 17 from 7-9 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston on August 18 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Cemetary Beautiful in Houston.
