William Gatlin Hardin's Obituary
Dr. William Gatlin Hardin, Sr., age 71, peacefully passed away on May 22, 2024. Born June 2, 1952, in Jackson, Mississippi to Robert Wesley Hardin and Martha Louise Gatlin Hardin, Dr. Hardin grew up in Jackson and graduated from Murrah High School in 1970. He attended Millsaps College where he graduated in 1974 and received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi Medical School in 1978. Moving to Memphis, Tennessee following graduation, he completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Baptist Hospital in 1981 and returned to Jackson to complete a Fellowship in Gastroenterology in 1983.
It was while he was in Memphis that he met his future wife, Yvonne Love Kirksey. They were married March 12, 1983, and moved to Meridian, Mississippi, where he joined Rush Medical Group in private practice. In 1989 they returned to Memphis where Dr. Hardin set up his medical practice, and they joined Second Presbyterian Church where they have been members for 35 years.
Dr. Hardin is survived by his wife of 41 years, Yvonne. The couple has four children, all of whom are married, and eleven grandchildren, including son Gatlin Hardin (Breen) and their four daughters: Ellie James, Eliza, Evie, and Elliott; daughter Rachel Yerger (Richard) and their five children: Tag, Will, Gray, Mary Gatlin, and “baby boy” Yerger expected to arrive sometime this August; daughter Hannah Zeiler (Austin) and their daughter, Elizabeth; and daughter Emily Rivers (Porter) and “Baby Porter” expected to arrive sometime in early September.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and is also survived by his three siblings: Bobby Hardin (Judy) of Hillsboro, Oregon, Patsy Ainsworth (Johnny) of Jackson, Mississippi, and Debbie Rayner (Whit), of Madison, Mississippi.
Bill loved spending time with family and was always making them laugh. Throughout his entire life he was interested in plants and maintained a beautiful rose garden and planted multitudes of tulip bulbs every year.
Dr. Hardin loved his chosen profession as a gastroenterologist, and he loved his many patients and colleagues as well. He retired in 2018 from private practice with Gastro One and from Baptist Desoto Hospital where he was, at one time, Chief of Staff. When he retired from the hospital, he was honored with the title of Physician Emeritus, which included his lifetime pass to the physicians parking lot and a lifetime invitation to join his colleagues for lunch in the doctor’s lounge which he frequently enjoyed!
The family wishes to thank so many special friends and their beloved church family who have been so kind, supportive, and continuously in prayer throughout this long journey. Also, the family wishes to thank the staff at Habor Chase and Allen Morgan at Trezevant for their excellent care and compassionate attention.
This man – known as Bill to his family and many, many friends, as Dr. Hardin by his patients and colleagues, as Dad by his children, and as “Doc” by his grandchildren, blessed them all with his kindness, his wit and humor, and his love and interest in others. He will be greatly missed, but they all will find great comfort in the assurance that because he believed that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God - he now has life in Jesus’ name for all eternity. Praise God, it is well with his soul!
A Memorial Service celebrating Dr. Hardin’s life will be held on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 10:00 AM in the sanctuary of Second Presbyterian Church with visitation immediately following the service.
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