Janice K. Blackburn Hardin, 72, of Elizabethton, was called home on Thursday, September 19, 2019, at her residence after a long battle with Diabetes. She was born January 18, 1947 in Jefferson, N.C., to the late Rev. G.R. and Alma Watson Blackburn. She moved to Tennessee in the late ’50s.
Janice attended Unaka High School until 1964 and was married to her husband John in 1965. She was a wonderful dedicated wife of 54-1/2 years, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. All who knew her knew her kindness and loving heart. She was a homemaker and raised three kids. All who knew her knew her kind heart and the very giving and loving person she was to all she met. She was an active collector of dolls, nutcrackers and crafts. She also enjoyed making jewelry.
Janice was a member of Oak Street Baptist Church. She loved to play piano and sing for the glory of God.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Tracy; a sister, Geraldine Whitley; and a brother-in-law, Max VanHuss.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 54-1/2 years, John; two sons, Tony and Travis; three grandsons and great-granddaughters, Andrew and daughter Elizabeth, Jonathan and daughter Skylar and Thomas and daughter Kallie and fiancé Nevada; several nieces and nephews; a sister-in-law, Brenda VanHuss; and a brother-in-law, Randy Joe Hardin.
A Celebration of Life service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Sunday, September 22, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Gary Edwards and the Rev. Darrell Holly officiating. Bill Anderson will provide the music. The graveside service and interment will be at 11 a.m. Monday, September 23, at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be selected from family and friends. The family would like to extend a special “Thank You” to Megan Renfro, Kayla Davenport, Morgan Quirk, Olivia, Trish, Krista, Michelle, Michael and Sandy of Amedisys for their care. She always enjoyed seeing them on their visits. Another special “Thank You” to her friend Anne who not only stepped up to help her, by giving of her time to make Janice comfortable and by being there for her. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 W. Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605-4255, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the Carter County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 134, Elizabethton, TN 37644. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:20 a.m. Monday to go in procession to the cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website at www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Hardin family.