Garland Ray Hardison of Plymouth, NC went home to be with our Lord on July 18, 2024. He was born in Jamesville, NC, on January 27,1937 to Thomas and Gracia Hardison and graduated from Jamesville High School, for whom he played basketball. He began working at the Weyerhaeuser Paper Manufacturing facility in Plymouth, NC soon after graduation and married the love of his life, Joyce, on February 23,1958. Garland and Joyce made their home and life together in Plymouth where they raised their children.
In the early years, Garland was an active member of First Christian Church in Plymouth, where he gave his life to the Lord. Then later, along with Joyce, he joined Memorial Baptist in Williamston to be with his children and grandchildren. Through his beloved churches, he served as both deacon and elder. However, the talent God most prominently granted to Garland was acts of service. Garland was not much on words, but was very much on doing, working, and serving.
Though not overly prone to speaking his affections, he was dedicated to serving, supporting and spending time with his family. He was quick and ready to show his love to help family, friends, neighbors and anyone in need. He was a gifted mechanic, electrician, carpenter, artist, farmer, taxidermist, and cook and could have made a successful profession out of any of those skills that God so graciously gifted to him. He could build, fix, grow and make a meal out of anything. As long as he had breath and could move, Garland used his God-given talents in many ways to help others such as serving multiple times with Baptist Men on disaster relief missions to hurricane devastated areas across the country, building and remodeling homes, fixing broken appliances and motors, cooking for hunting teams, keeping his children's stuff working, giving away gobs of vegetables and so much more. In later years, Garland's family has enjoyed him enjoying his grandchildren. The heart that softened some when marrying Joyce, softened more when Alfreda, Ken and Tina were born and then again when his grandchildren came into the world and sat on his knee.
Through his 40+ year profession of dedicated work with Weyerhaeuser, Garland was also known as a master paper maker. When others could not make a machine work, he could. He could make it sing. However, he would claim knowing the Lord, convincing Joyce to marry him and his huge and loving family as his greatest blessings.
Garland is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joyce Hardison, Children: Alfreda Stout (Rick), Ken Hardison (Diane) and Tina Carrow (Kent), Grandchildren: Ricky Stout, Brandy Sabol, Zachary Hardison (Kristen), Isaac Hardison (Madeline), Reid Carrow and Forrest Carrow, and Great Grandchildren: Kora, Amelia, Levi and Samuel. Garland is also survived by his sister Ivy Joel Beck of Virginia Beach, VA and brother, Leslie Hardison (Linda) of Jamesville, NC plus many cherished nieces and nephews. Preceding Garland in death, is his brother, Marion Hardison.
The family will receive friends at Maitland Funeral Home at 306 Latham Avenue in Plymouth, NC between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, Saturday, July 20, 2024. Funeral services will also be held at Maitland Funeral Home in Plymouth, at 2:00 pm on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Williamston Memorial Baptist Church, 109 West Church Street, Williamston, NC 27892 for "NC Baptist Men Disaster Relief" or "Ramp Building/Team House Calls".
Arrangements are by Maitland Funeral Home, Plymouth.
