George Hardwick

Funeral services for George Douglas Hardwick, 82, of Burnsville, MS, are set for Thursday, October 2, at 11:00 AM at Magnolia Funeral Home East Chapel, with interment in Love Joy Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 1, from 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at Magnolia Funeral Home East. Bro. Jon Haimes and Bro. Rayborn Richardson will officiate the service. Pallbearers will be Brian Powers, Chris Creasy, John Nunley, John Purvis, Brian Hardwick, and Timmy Gandy.

George was born on February 13, 1942, to Doug and Ara Hardwick. He departed this life on September 26, 2025, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. He was the apple of his older sister Onie’s eyes. George never had to do things or speak for himself because Onie was always right there for him. George graduated from Glen School, where he played basketball. He loved being outside and especially enjoyed coon, rabbit, and deer hunting, fishing, and, in his younger years, water skiing.

After high school, George went to trade school to become a heavy machine operator. He was drafted into the Army in 1966, where he served as an Army Engineer, building roads in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, he was heavily exposed to Agent Orange, which caused many health issues as he got older. He was considered a 100% disabled American veteran.

In 1980, he married the love of his life, Gail Hardwick. They had one son, Charles Douglas Hardwick. They enjoyed hunting, fishing, and rodeoing together. They were married for 40 years before she passed away in January of 2020.

These last few years of George’s life were hard on him—with losing his wife and multiple health issues that led to him not being strong enough to enjoy the things he had always loved doing. He was especially sad that he felt he could no longer go to the Tishomingo County High School basketball games, where he would sit at every game and cheer his favorite Lady Braves on.

He loved watching wrestling. He was always saying he wanted to clean up the place and even bought himself a track hoe to do just that. As his muscles got weaker and his memory not as sharp, he had to quit as well. He was always tinkering with things at home, especially lawn mowers. The very last task he asked of us was to get him a cable for his lawn mower. He was going to have to pay his nephew to put it on because he had simply gotten too weak.

George, you are forever loved. There is a huge space you’ve left in our hearts. Your laugh, your grin, and those sheepish, dancing blue eyes will forever be missed.

He is survived by his son, Charles Hardwick (Ali); three grandchildren: Heather Parrish, Kyle Parrish, and Lexxis Powell; nephew: Buddy Wiggington; niece: Barbra Ann Woodruff; and special friend, Estelle Wright. He is preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Onie Hardwick. Magnolia Funeral Home has been honored to serve the family of George Douglas Hardwick.