Charles L. Hardy, 82, of Hiram

Information from the Clark Funeral Home website

Charles L. Hardy, age 82, of Hiram, GA, passed at home surrounded by his family on Tuesday, August 30, 2016. He was born on December 3, 1933, in Dallas, GA, to the late John Pinkney & Simmie Beatrice Hardy, and was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Martin and granddaughter, Jessica Hardy.

Mr. Hardy founded Hardy Chevrolet Buick GMC in Dallas in 1978 and Hardy Family Ford in 1985. His wife, Jeanette, is the Dealer Principal of Hardy Chevrolet in Gainesville, Georgia.

Prior to that, Charles was a successful home builder, mobile home dealer and operator of Southeastern International Drag Way.

During the mid-1990s, Charles owned a NASCAR team and later partnered with Bill Elliottt to form the Elliott-Hardy Racing Team, in which Bill Elliott drove the #94 McDonald’s Ford. Later, Mr. Hardy owned a team NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series under sponsorship by Ortho.

Mr. Hardy was a 50+ year member of Bartlett Lodge #139 F&AM, of Hiram, and Yaarab Shrine Temple in Atlanta. He was widely recognized for his philanthropic contributions, especially to the Shriners’ Hospitals for Children and WellStar Paulding Hospital. He was also a charter member of Paulding County Shrine Club.

Mr. Hardy was a life-long resident of Paulding County and cared deeply about his community, his employees and his family. That feeling of goodwill was epitomized in his trademark slogan, "We love you and we need you!"

Greater than any business achievement was his love for his family, which include his wife of 64 years, Jeanette Hardy of Hiram, GA; children, John C. & Teresa Hardy of Hiram, GA, Diane & Gene Fuller of Hiram, GA, Brenda & Terry Hillhouse of Hiram, GA, Mike & Robin Hardy of Hiram, GA, and Rene & Mike Gordon of Hiram, GA, brothers-in-law, Richard Martin of Hiram, GA, and Tony Eubanks of Douglasville, GA; grandchildren, Julie & Lee Burger of Hiram, GA, Ashley Benson of Hiram, GA, Justin & Lara Fuller of Hiram, GA, Jennifer & Mark Campbell of Hiram, GA, Natalie & Josh Higgins of Hiram, GA, Niki & Michael Hilley of Hiram, GA, Mandy & Shain Jackson of Hiram, GA, Chuck Hardy of Hiram, GA, Jeb Gordon of Hiram, GA, and John Gordon of Hiram, GA; fifteen great-grandchildren, four nieces and one nephew.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 2, 2016 at 2 PM, from West Ridge Church, with Reverend Don Rackley, Mayor Boyd Austin, Donnie Williams, and Mr. Jeb Gordon officiating.

Interment will follow in Paulding Memorial Gardens. Justin Fuller, Chuck Hardy, Jeb Gordon, John Gordon, Avery Campbell, Wayne Alexander, and Charlie Fortner will serve as pallbearers.

Carlos Jones, Jimmy Upchurch, Cleon Gordon, Dr. John Covington, John Harp, Ruben Kennemore, Don “Precious” Baines, Brad Wilson, Billy Barnette, Ken Eckman, Terry Harris, Kyle Moore, Missy Kuykendall, Harold Cole, Tony Ratterree and J.B. Hibbitts will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, September 1, 2016, from 3 PM until 9 PM, and on Friday, September 2, 2016, at West Ridge Church, from 11 AM until 1 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either Shriners Children’s Hospital- Greenville at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/donate, or mail to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605; or The CART Fund, make checks payable to The CART Fund, mail to Rotary Club of Paulding County PO Box 853, Dallas, GA 30132http://www.cartfund.org/cart/donations/

Clark Funeral Home in Hiram, GA, is in charge of arrangements.