Betty Jo D. Hardin

Betty Jo DeWeese Hardin, 89, of Greensboro, passed peacefully on Friday, February 10, 2023 at her residence. She is in beautiful reunion with not only her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but with her beloved husband, James “Bud” K. Hardin, her parents, and various family members.

Betty Jo is survived by her legacy that she left on this Earth. Her legacy includes her children: James Kenneth “Ken” Hardin of Greensboro and Kathy Hardin Brown and husband Jeff of Oak Ridge; Her grandchildren: Taylor Roch and husband Nick, Ella Brown, and Aaron Hardin; Her sisters-in-law, Patricia Hardin Whitaker and Debra Hardin McPherson and husband Byron; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Born on July 13, 1933 in Salisbury, North Carolina, Betty Jo was the only child of the late Emmette and Martha Magdalene “Maggie” DeWeese. During her childhood, Betty Jo enjoyed helping with her family’s business and playing with her beloved cat “Dab”. Betty Jo went on to graduate from Gardner Webb with her Associate Degree and later received her Bachelor of Arts from Carson-Newman University in Religious Education in 1955.

During her time at Carson-Newman, Betty Jo met and befriended, Bud Hardin. As fate would have it, the pair ended up on a blind date with one another years later! Unlike many blind dates, this one was life changing! The couple married in 1960 at Baptist Temple Church in Reidsville, North Carolina. Betty Jo and her “Honey Poo” were married for 59 years, during which they built a home, a family, and a legacy.

Betty Jo’s legacy is left in many forms but began with her children, Ken and Kathy. While raising her children with Bud, Betty Jo enjoyed many camping trips, beach trips, and countless family gatherings at their longtime home. Betty Jo’s legacy continued to grow when her grandchildren arrived, Taylor, Ella, and Aaron. To Betty Jo, her family growing with grandchildren was the icing on the cake! A beloved grandmother, Betty Jo shared many Disney trips, walks in Battleground Park, times of playing dress up with the contents of her jewelry box, and front porch chats with her grandchildren.

Gentle, nurturing, and a laugh like a bell, Betty Jo’s light didn’t exist only within her family. Betty Jo was a was a lover of the Lord, never failing to share her passion for Christ and her belief in the power of prayer. Her faith propelled her to pursue a lifetime of service to others. An active Kindergarten teacher for over 30 years with Guilford County Public Schools, Betty Jo shaped the lives of generations to come. In her free time, she served countless hours within her church community, First Baptist Church of Greensboro. She gave back to the congregation through serving as a choir director with Baptist Temple Church, singing in the choir, teaching children’s Sunday School, and playing the piano beautifully.

Her family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to her extraordinary caregivers and companions, Julie Kirkman, Jessica Williams, and Tressie Laxton for their wonderful care. Your expertise and friendship meant so much to Betty Jo and to our family.

In addition to her husband, Bud Hardin, Betty Jo was preceded in death by her parents, Emmette and Martha Magdalene “Maggie” DeWeese, her grandson, Juan Alexander, and sisters-in-law, Shirley Black and Jo Ann Markland, and brother-in law, Wayne Whitaker.

The family will receive friends at Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home, 515 N Elm Street Greensboro, North Carolina from 5 to 7 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. A celebration of life will be held at 2 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Greensboro. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Meals on Wheels, Senior Resources of Guilford, P.O Box 21993 Greensboro, NC 27240 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Hardin family.