Gary Melvin Hauser

Gary, 75, went to be with Jesus on Friday, March 22, 2024 at his home in Charlotte. His beloved wife was beside him. Their devoted hospice nurse and social worker were present also. Gary suffered with diabetes and chronic kidney disease for many years.

Born September 17, 1948 in High Point, Gary was the son of the late Charles Melvin Hauser and Jewel Newton Hauser.

Gary is survived by his wife of 20 years, Lisa Lindsey Hauser; three daughters, Kimberly Caudle (Dave) of Marshville, NC; Christy Hauser (Cam) of Rock Hill, SC; Amanda Rettger (Jon) of York, SC; and eight grandchildren; as well as his brother, Jeff Hauser (Darlene) of Pleasant Garden, NC. He loved his family very much, including his fur-babies Sadie and Heidi.

Gary and Lisa both would tell you that even in their individual imperfections, they were perfect for each other and that God brought them together later in life at the perfect time for them.

As a teenager, Gary learned to fly a Piper Cub. He earned his pilot’s license even before he had his driver’s license. Airplanes were one of his passions in life. After graduating from Trinity High School, Gary worked briefly for the City of High Point before enlisting in the United States Air Force. During his service, he spent time at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, and on Guam during the Vietnam War. Gary loved being in the Air Force! Leaving the Air Force was his biggest regret in life.

Following his honorable discharge in 1971 as a Staff Sergeant, Gary returned to North Carolina. After briefly working for the state, Gary began working at Eastern Airlines in various cities and finally Charlotte as an air freight agent and as a ramp serviceman which fulfilled his dream of working around airplanes. He loved working for Eastern until it closed.

Over several years while working and raising a family, Gary studied at Gardner-Webb College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1989. Gary was ordained into the ministry on August 28, 1988 at Southside Baptist Church, Charlotte. Before and following his ordination into ministry, Gary served in a variety of positions at Trinity Baptist Church, Southside Baptist Church, Harvest Hills Baptist Church, Westmoreland Baptist Church, and Windsor Square Baptist Church, all in the Charlotte area. If you knew Gary, you knew he LOVED reading, studying, teaching, preaching, and talking about God’s word. Serving the Lord and doing his best to follow God’s will for his life was Gary’s greatest passion in life. For several years, Gary was part of a homeless ministry that served breakfast on the street every Saturday morning in uptown Charlotte. This group served breakfast rain or shine, holiday or not. One of the homeless men gave him the nickname “Jokeman” because Gary always had a joke ready to share every Saturday.

Gary had a creative side which revolved mostly around creating and making a variety of crafts out of wood, his favorites being building whirligigs, bluebird nesting boxes, and wood trash cans. In the past several years, he began painting decorative wine bottles and other types of glassware. If Gary wasn’t in his workshop building something, you could find him in his home office at the computer creating new wood and painted designs.

He was a man of honor, generous, loyal, and committed to his family. Gary was clever, creative, and full to the brim with knowledge gained through all of his life experiences. And he could fix or build just about anything and if he didn’t know how, he’d figure it out. Gary was strong-willed, but he also had an enormous heart and wonderful sense of humor. He loved telling a good joke, especially ones that his wife called “groaners.” Sometimes during conversations, he would tell you “I have no opinion” which, if you truly knew Gary, you knew he was pulling your leg.

He will be remembered for all the heart he shared with his friends and family. He truly loved each of them. As his death approached, he faced it with dignity and strength. Gary will be greatly missed.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, April 5th in the chapel of the McEwen Funeral Service – Pineville, 10500 Park Road. The family will receive friends following the service. A graveside service with military honors will be held at Floral Gardens Park Cemetery. 1730 W. English Road, High Point, NC date and time to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the American Diabetes Association, American Kidney Fund, National Kidney Foundation, or VIA Health Partners Hospice & Palliative Care Charlotte Region. March is National Kidney Month.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.