Obituary of Merlene Hardwick

Mrs. Merlene Rivers Edwards Hardwick, a resident of Ozark, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023. She was 86 years old. Funeral services for Mrs. Hardwick will be 2:00 P. M. Wednesday, January 18, 2023 from Ozark Baptist Church with Reverend Dr. Eric Fuller officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Memory Gardens, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends in the church from 12:30 P.M. until service time. Serving as pallbearers will be Dylan DeLoney, Chris Braman, Taylor Peters, Thomas Hill, D. J. Hyde and Ryan Tomlin. Honorary pallbearers will be Bruce Bedsole, Ron Moates, Frank Garrett, Brent Browning, Joey Hornsby and George Williams. Merlene was born March 25, 1936, in Richton, Mississippi to the late Homer and Beatrice Edwards. She graduated from Richton High School and the Wesley School of Nursing where she worked as a registered nurse until marrying William “Bill” Hardwick. They had two children and she worked alongside Bill in their family tire and automotive business, Road-Mart, Inc. Merlene was known as Gran to her grandchildren, whom will tell you she was the best grandmother. She attended Ozark Baptist Church and enjoyed gardening, flowers, and spending time with family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Anna Marylis Brewer and her niece Kimberly Regina Nix. Survivors include her husband, Bill Hardwick of Ozark; one daughter, Susan Clawson (Curtis) of Rexburg, Idaho; one son, Eddie Hardwick (Valerie) of Ozark; two sisters, Peggy Roper of Tylertown, Mississippi; grandchildren, Shawn Puckett (Kara) Cookville, Tennessee, Christopher Puckett (Andrea) of Cookville, Tennessee, Sarah Hjelm (McCaden) of Boise, Idaho, Emma Leigh Clawson (James) of Rexburg, Idaho, Kent Clawson (Barbara) of Rexburg, Idaho, Torrey Clawson (Jill) of Rugby, Idaho and Gus Hardwick (Madison) of Ozark; great grandchildren, Kyla, Kenzie and Kayden Puckett all of Cookville, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Ozark Baptist Church, 282 South Union Avenue, Ozark, Alabama 36360.