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Waxahachie, TX

December 20, 2018 | Andrew Hurst

Freshman Jeretta Clark stepped onto Southwestern’s campus in September of 1955 eager to fulfill God’s call on her life. Her first week, she met a boy named Horace Hardwick who fell head over heels in love with her.  “I met her during her first week and I was captivated by her beautiful blue eyes, sweet smile, her warmth, and personality,” Horace says. He began courting Jeretta immediately and within three months, he was positive that he wanted to spend the rest of his

life with her and proposed—she accepted.  He says “he chased her till she caught him”. The two were joined in marriage on June 29, 1956. What followed that decision was 62 years of love and devotion to one another along with complete surrender to the Lord in their marriage until Jeretta went home to be with the Lord this past July.

“It goes without saying that she was a very lovely, classy wife and a devoted Christian,” says Horace. “She was also a very devoted mother. All of our children are living for the Lord and so are our grandchildren.

Horace and Jeretta were blessed with three children: Kevin, Kim, and Kirk, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

“You know, the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree and her tree was a beautiful loving tree, and our children reflect her in so many ways,” said Horace.

Jeretta was supportive of her husband’s career of over 39 years with General Electric along with his other business ventures. Due to the nature of Horace’s work, the two were transferred eight times during the course of his career. Yet, she was always “ready to go,” says Horace.

Horace later demonstrated the same support for Jeretta in her sickness. Jeretta battled leukemia for 16 years until she succumbed to her illness this past summer. Despite this, her warmth and charm continued to inspire and bring life to any room that she walked into, and her genuine care and concern for others always shined.

Jeretta was an organizer of friendships and was passionate about serving in her community.

She was instrumental in the establishment of the Northwest Arkansas Circle of Life Hospice Ladies Auxiliary “Angels Paying it Forward” and was Co-Chair with her husband in the Capital Campaign of Benton County to raise over 9 million dollars to build a Circle of Life Hospice home in Bentonville.

Horace and Jeretta were also major supporters of Southwestern. Horace formerly served as the Alumni President, a member of the Board of Regents and also the SAGU Foundation. Jeretta always enjoyed coming back to the SAGU campus for his meetings.

As firm believers in God’s call on the lives of our students, they have participated in the annual Scholarship awards. Their scholarships were given to enable SAGU students to achieve the calling God has placed on their hearts and who also exhibit academic achievement. Because of her dedication to SAGU, her uncle, TW Hobbs, established annual scholarships for missionary students, so her legacy continues in these students also.

Though Jeretta’s time on this earth came to an end, her impact on our students, her loved ones and her example of a humbled life before God, is not forgotten.
Rev. Mickey Rapier, who officiated the celebration of her life, summarized her character and compassion even in her final days. He wrote in an Arkansas statewide publication “Though she struggled with leukemia for far too many years, you would have never known it by her ever-present beautiful smile and countenance. Jeretta spent her life helping others who were in need… Her many accomplishments are too numerous to list, but suffice it to say that she left this world better than she found it.”

Jeretta was preceded in death by her parents and brother Kenneth.

Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu