The Life, The Love, The Lift, and The Legacy of

Tommie Mary Hightower Hardin

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14

The Life

God in His Infinite Wisdom so willed for the earthly life of Tommie Mary Hightower Hardin to begin as she was born to the late Thomas W. Hightower, Sr., and Ophelia Ogletree Hightower on June 13,1932.

While the expectation of our human experiences is to be three score and ten, 70 years, Tommie Mary Hardin's life was blessed to span 22 years beyond the promise of Psalm 90:10 - The days of our years are threescore years and ten.

Even still, Scripture in James 4:14 reminds the Children of God that our life appears only for a little while and then it vanishes. The paramount question, then, becomes how do we live during the allotted time God gives us.

After a life of 92 blessed years, Tommie Mary Hardin made her triumphant transition to her heavenly home Friday, August 9, 2024. The life of Tommie Mary Hardin gives us answer to the question, exemplifying how life can be lived through loving and lifting others.

The Love

Tommie Mary Hardin personified love. She loved the people, places, and the things dear to her. Her mother passed away when she was 36 years old, and as one who loved her brothers, older, near her age, and younger than her, she assumed the role of sister and mother to her brothers and, later, as the grandmother of their children. She felt she was called to take care of her brothers and their families.

She loved them and lived long enough to be the last living child of Ophelia Ogletree Hightower. Pillar of the family, she was loved in return not only as the matriarch of her immediate family but also the entire Ogletree family. She was respected and recognized as the oldest member of the family.

Tommie Mary Hardin loved her family unconditionally. She supported and provided for her children to help them reach their goals. Her children and grandchildren were the joy of her heart. She took pride in sharing their names and stories about their life's accomplishments. She enjoyed being present with them for significant events in their life. She looked forward to opening her home to them for family gatherings, especially her Annual Christmas Eve Dinner. In recent years, she longed to have all her children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, and nephews together at her home. Her 90th Birthday Celebration was the best gift for her when her family gathered as she desired. The love she so freely gave was gladly given to her by her children and grandchildren.

Tommie Mary Hardin believed that love never failed. She was united in holy matrimony to Charles Hardin on December 24, 1959, and was committed to this love for 57 years until his earthly departure on May 30, 2016. Tommie Mary Hardin loved the Lord. She expressed her love for both the Lord and His Church through her service to the church and community. A lifelong member of Bethel Baptist Church, Barnesville, Georgia, she was the oldest member of the church. As her mother was a dutiful usher of the church, Tommie Mary Hardin joined and served as usher for her entire youth and adult life under the pastorate of the Reverend D.F. Fuller, the Reverend O.H. Stinson, the Reverend Rufus Smith, Sr., the Reverend J. T. Davis, the Reverend Douglas Stowers, and her current pastor, the Reverend James C. Marable.

Under the leadership of Reverend J.T. Davis, she embraced her new calling and love. The parents and the children of the church accepted her invitation to the Children's Choir, which she affectionately named, the Little Angelics. The Little Angelics became her extended family.

After several other positions with other companies including Smith Shop and Montclair, major manufacturers in Barnesville, Tommie Mary Hardin found her true love in employment at Yamaha of Thomaston. She proudly worked as a key tuner. She was the first employee to retire fully with benefits from Yamaha, Thomaston, June 25, 1997. During her 16-year and four months tenure at Yamaha, she was recognized every year for her Perfect Attendance.

She was so proud to connect her church and her job. The Yamaha piano that remains in her beloved Bethel Church is a result of her work.

The Lift

Tommie Mary Hardin was more than a choir advisor to the Little Angelics. She lifted them as they counted on her to pray for them, spend time with them, take them places, and to share words of commendation, direction, and correction with them.

Her latter years of service in the Lord was through the ministry of Pastor James C. Marable. As Pastor Marable held Noon Day Bible Study, Tommie Mary Hardin and the other missionary ladies of the church began to bring food for the Pastor. With a sincere desire to be a source of encouragement to lift others, she and the group sought to share the Noon Day Meal with the sick and shut-in. She gladly drove the church van to deliver meals to lift those who looked for her and the missionaries to stop by weekly with a meal and encouraging word to lift their spirit.

Pastor Marable expanded the work of the missionaries to the Ministry of Helps and the Ministry served at the Heritage Inn of Barnesville, Georgia. She was recognized by the Heritage Inn with a Certificate of Appreciation.

During her retirement years, she cared for several children who became very special to her. They were indeed her heart - Shaniqua Disola, Briana Searcy, Armani Flewellen, and Ezekiel McDowell.

She devoted herself to nurturing them. She provided them with a solid foundation.

Often her smile was just the lift her family and friends needed. She expressed her delight to see them with her smile. Her smile brightened family gatherings and other events she attended.

Tommie Mary Hardin's gift to lift others was a constant strength to her family. She often spoke the words, "It's going to be alright, "I am going to be alright, and "We are going to be alright." The lift she gave her family in life is now sustaining the legacy she leaves to forever remember her life, her love, and her lift.

The Legacy

Tommie Mary Hardin will always live in the hearts of her children, Dr. Ayo (Diann) Bandele and Betty (Robert) Rogers, both of Barnesville, Georgia; grandchildren, Pastor Edward J. (Janice) Searcy, Thomaston, Georgia; Jamaal Ayo (LaTisha) Bandele, Hainesport, New Jersey; Dr. Oman Jelani (Melissa) Bandele, Germantown, Maryland; great grandchildren, Travis (La'Sheka) Crafter, Briana Searcy, Jykevious Searcy, Jasiri Bandele, Laiya Bandele, Jelani Bandele, Journee Bandele, and Averi Bandele; great-great granddaughter Eden Crafter; sister-in-law Gwendolyn Hightower, Barnesville, Georgia; aunt Mary Ogletree, Barnesville, Georgia; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.