John Steger Hardaway

John Steger Hardaway, M.D. of Statesville, NC passed away at the Hospice House of Catawba Valley at age 89 on Tuesday, June 3, 2015 after spending the last 5 1/2 years in Hickory, NC  living with his son, David’s family. Born in Greenwood, SC on January 12, 1926, he was the third son of Rev. Richard E. Hardaway and Louise Cook Atkinson Hardaway. He spent his formative years in Lenoir, NC enjoying many who would become lifelong friends. He often spoke of the Saturday outings with friends to the picture show, taking the train to Brown Mountain Beach or hiking to the top of Hibriten Mountain. He joined Troup 1 of the Boy Scouts of America in his 7th grade and in 15 months, received his Eagle Scout award. Moving with his beloved mother and father, a Baptist minister, he graduated from Fairforest High School in Spartanburg, SC and then attended Wake Forest College in Wake Forest, NC where he was president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. College was interrupted by 2 years in the United States Navy, where he was stationed at Chelsea Naval Hospital during World War II. He returned to graduate from Wake Forest in 1948 and then attended Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC, graduating with the eminent Class of 1952. After spending 2 years in general practice medical residency training at the University of Michigan, he settled in Statesville, NC where he was a busy family practitioner from 1954 to 1989. He was a patient, caring physician, adored by his many patients. He enjoyed delivering many babies and cared for children, adolescents, adults and the elderly with meticulous, conscientious care rarely matched by others before or after him. His beloved, faithful office staff included Janet Haire and Mildred Turner, and he had too many hospital staff members that he was fond of to name them all. Dr. Hardaway helped promote the development of Iredell Memorial Hospital and served on the Board of County Commissioners of Iredell County from 1964-1968, serving as Board Chairman for a time. He helped pass the expansion of Iredell Memorial Hospital through the County Commission as well as the development of the new County Court House building on Davie Avenue. He also served in many civic organizations including the Kiwanis Club, the Civil Service Board and others. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Statesville from 1954 until his death and contributed generously throughout his life to many charitable organizations. Dr. Hardaway married Elizabeth Ann Clinard of Winston-Salem on June 13, 1951 and remained her devoted husband until her death in July, 1999. They had numerous friends with whom they loved entertaining and playing bridge, and they were incredible dancers. John could be a gregarious man who loved to recite many funny limericks at times. They were both devoted parents to their four sons. He loved traveling and spending time with his family, especially at their home on Lake Norman, boating, fishing, swimming and entertaining. He loved to study, explore and share his rich family history and stories. His greatest disappointment was the loss of his son, John in a 1971 automobile accident and most recently, the loss of his son, Dick, to kidney failure. Dr. Hardaway is survived by his sons, David(wife Lena) of Hickory, Bill(wife Terrill) of Charlotte, grandchildren Hunter(wife Lindsay), Caitlyn(fiancé Jon Carter), Jordan, and Madison of Hickory, and grandchildren Eliza and Pepper of Charlotte, great-grandchild Laurel of Hickory, nieces Barbara Murray(husband James) of Houston, TX, and Nancy Lutz(husband Keith) of Baton Rouge, LA, and Carey of  Lafayette, LA, and great nieces and nephews,  Jimmy, Ted and Daniel Murray, Andrew and Emily Lutz. His cherished friend and companion for his last years, Ann Glenn of Conover and his wonderful sister-in-law, Barbara Hardaway Bowen of Southern Pines, NC also survive him. He is predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth Ann Clinard Hardaway, his sons John S. Hardaway, Jr. and Richard E. Hardaway, III, and his brothers Richard E. Hardaway, Jr. and Theodore A. Hardaway and sister-in–law, Peggy Hardaway. Nicholson Funeral Home 135 E Front St in Statesville, NC is in charge of funeral arrangements. Family visitation will be from 7:00 to 9:00 PM Friday evening there. The funeral service will be conducted by Rev. Dr. Jack Causey, Saturday at 2:00 PM at the First Baptist Church of Statesville, 815 Davie Ave, with a graveside service to follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville. Serving as pallbearers will be his grandsons: Hunter, Jordan, Madison and Pepper Hardaway; Tom Templeton, William and John Allison. Honorary pallbearers will include  Dr. Tom Templeton, Tom Allison, Judge Robert Collier, T. Duke Williams, W. T. Cheatham, Dr. Jimmy Rogers, Tom Fanjoy, Costi Kutteh, Bill Tysinger and Chandler Bryan. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Statesville, NC, Wake Forest University School of Medicine (Class of 1952 Scholarship), Hospice of Catawba Valley, Hospice of Iredell County or the charity of your choice. The family would like to offer special thanks to all of Dr. Hardaway’s patients who so often continue to express gratitude for his care of them, to his many steadfast friends, to the people of Iredell County, and to his recent devoted caregivers. Condolences may be sent online to the family to www.nicholsonfunerals.com . O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.