Marie Hardwick

Sadie Marie Lawson Hardwick, 78, of Tower Circle Drive, Winston-Salem, died from melanoma cancer on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Davidson Funeral Home, Hickory Tree Chapel, by the Rev. Dr. Billy S. Martin and the Rev. Paul Riggs. Burial will follow at Parklawn Memorial Park. Mrs. Hardwick was born Sept. 16, 1929, in Tabor City to the late Henry French and Eloise Hammond Lawson. She was the fifth of seven children. Surviving are her devoted and loyal husband of 57 years, Benjamin, of the home; her only child, daughter Linda Gail Kiger and her husband, Jim, of Winston-Salem; the joy of her life and only granddaughter, who carried her grandmother's name, Abigail Marie Kiger Paul and her husband, Nicholas, of Lexington; a sister, Myrtle Tyler and her husband, Leroy, of Clemmons. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Elton, Ertle and Keith Lawson, and two sisters, Madelene Hinson and Irma Lee Hilburn. Mrs. Hardwick has many nieces and nephews surviving who loved her dearly. Mrs. Hardwick retired from AT&T after 36 years of service. She was a member of The Telephone Pioneers and CWA Local 3060. After retiring, she was a dependable and faithful substitute teacher for Davidson County Schools for 20 years, primarily at Ledford High School, North Davidson Middle and North Davidson High schools and Midway Elementary School. Throughout her life, she served her churches, Urban Street Baptist (later Vernon Forest) and Waughtown Baptist, especially in children's ministries. She served many years in the AWANA program, helping children learn about her personal Savior, Jesus Christ, and teaching them Bible verses to "hide in their heart so they would not sin against him." Mrs. Hardwick had many kind, thoughtful and loving friends. Her family and friends will miss her, but look forward to seeing her again in Heaven. She was an accomplished seamstress and creative craftswoman. Creating gifts for family and friends brought joy to her and the receivers. She passed her love of creating things to her daughter and granddaughter. The family thanks those who cared for Mrs. Hardwick in the fourth-floor ICU Ardmore Tower, sixth-floor Intermediate Care Reynolds Tower (especially Ben and Paul) at The Sticht Center, The Palliative Care Unit at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home. The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Monday at the funeral home and at other times at the home of her daughter, Northwind Drive, Winston-Salem.