Newton Jasper Wardlaw IV

Mr. Jay Wardlaw (Newton Jasper Wardlaw IV) passed away on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, following a brief illness. A rosary service for Jay will be held on Friday, September 5, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM at H.M. Patterson & Son Oglethorpe Hill, 4550 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia. A visitation will follow from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the same location. A memorial service will take place on Sunday, September 7, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by a reception from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, also at the same location.

Jay was a longtime resident of Atlanta. Born on December 18, 1971, in Shreveport, LA, he attended Loyola College Preparatory. He received his Bachelor’s degree in political science from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, in 1994, and his Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law, graduating with distinction, in 1997. He became a member of the State Bar of Georgia in the same year. Jay and Lisa were married in Cape Girardeau, MO, in 1995.

Upon graduating from Emory in 1997, Jay began his legal career as an associate at what would become Seyfarth, achieving partner status in 2005. He most recently served as co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate Finance practice.

Jay was a lifelong learner. His steadfast devotion to music and media resulted in an impressive archival collection. He loved '60s and '70s classic rock, especially The Band. He was also a strict grammarian who delighted in word play. He was a sports aficionado and always rooted for the Dallas Cowboys.

Above all, Jay adored his wife and three children. He stressed the importance of education to his children, encouraging them to learn in all aspects of life. He took immense pride in all of their accomplishments, while remaining humble about his own.

Jay was preceded in death by his mother, Susan Marie Langford Meekins; father Newton Jasper Wardlaw III; maternal grandmother Irma Claire Fossier Langford; maternal grandfather Dr. Richard Bennett Langford; paternal grandmother Marthabel McKinley Wardlaw; paternal grandfather N. J. Wardlaw Jr., and several dear extended family members.

Mr. Wardlaw is survived by his beloved wife Lisa Marie Wardlaw; children Patricia (Patsy) Marie Wardlaw, and Nathaniel (Nathan) James Wardlaw and Richard (Drew) Andrew Wardlaw of Atlanta, GA; brother Richard (Lang) Langford Wardlaw of Conyers, GA; brother Robert (Bob) Boe Wardlaw of Honolulu, HI; sister Elizabeth (Liz) Diane Stringer and husband Dalton of Richardson, TX; father-in-law Ralph Tomlinson and wife Judy of Fort Myers, FL; brother-in-law Philip Tomlinson and wife Julie of Fort Myers, FL, and his only nieces and nephew, Ben, Holly, and Katelin; as well as many cousins, family members, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the following: Meals for Wheels Atlanta https://www.mowatl.org/donations