VALDOSTA — After Ernest Hardwick died, no one came to claim his body.

For five weeks, the Valdosta native languished at a Homerville funeral home, waiting to be cremated and forgotten.

That, however, didn’t happen.

Three Valdosta city employees who were former coworkers and longtime friends of Hardwick heard about their friend’s situation and felt obligated to do something.

“He would have done the same thing for us,” Charles Brantley said. 

Brantley, Lawrence McCoy and Gloria White all worked with Hardwick for many years. When they heard no family had claimed him, they went to the Homerville funeral home to bring him home and give him a proper burial, but the funeral home could only release the body to family members.

Down but not defeated, White decided to take the matter to Valdosta City Councilwoman Vivian Miller-Cody for help.

“I thank God for Vivian,” White said. “We couldn’t have done this without her.”

With Miller-Cody’s help, they managed to claim Hardwick’s body, raise money from the community, and, on Friday, Hardwick was finally laid to rest surrounded by people who loved him at St. Phillip Pallbearer Lodge #40 Cemetery. 

Hardwick worked for the City of Valdosta as a right-of way maintenance worker in the public works department from 1979-2009. He died Dec. 31, 2017, in Homerville. 

Brantley, who was married to Hardwick’s niece, said he was a character and could make anyone laugh.

“He always kept you going. You know what I mean?” Brantley said. “I’m glad to see him go this way. At least we had one more chance to see him, one last time.”

White said she worked with him for more than a decade. She knew him from around the neighborhood and said he would always smile and wave at her as he drove around in his public works’ vehicle.

“When we started working together, he called me Glory,” White said. “He was a part of us, and I think everyone deserves to be put away with decency.”

McCoy grew up with Hardwick. They knew each other for more than 30 years. During the funeral, he didn’t cry about losing his friend. He laughed as he recalled the good times they shared. 

“He was my friend. We had to do something,” McCoy said. “This is his home. It’s where he was from. It’s where he should be.”

Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256