Edythe Hardway

Edythe N. Hardway was born August 11, 1912 in Coal Creek currently Lake City, Tennessee to Sephie King Gallaher and Frank Whitson. She grew up in a Methodist home and accepted Christ at an early age. After the death of her father, her mother later married Thomas A. Nowlin, II who adopted Edythe. Edythe began high school at Morristown, TN and completed her high school education at Austin High School in Knoxville, TN. Upon graduation in 1929 from Austin High School she attended Wilburforce College in Wilburforce, Ohio. After transferring to Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN, she became a charter member of the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1932. Edythe then graduated on December 23, 1933 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education. Continuing her accomplishments, she immediately pursued and received her Master’s Degree in Business Education from Teacher’s College of Columbia University in New York Harlem, N.Y. Edythe began her teaching career in the Knoxville Public School District, and continued to teach in high schools Farragut, Carver, and Calumet after moving to Chicago, IL. At a young 65 years of age she succumbed to mandatory retirement from Chicago Public School System in 1977 and moved back to Tennessee where she continued her career by substituting teaching until 1998. Her love of children and desire to help them led to a career of 63 years as an educator! On August 29, 1945 she married Ernest Lucius Hardway in Chicago, Illinois, and to this union two children were born: Adonna and Linda. Ernest preceded her in death on March 29, 1984. Edythe was fond of her two grandchildren Natalee Qahhaar Scott and Albert Lincoln Dotson, both of Knoxville, Tennessee. She had one great grandchild, Joshua Kane Scott. In 1998 Edythe established residency in Maumelle, AR with her daughter Linda and son-in-law Ernest Waddell, but traveled back to Knoxville regularly to spend time with her other children. Edythe was a Diamond Life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was a lifelong member of Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church in Knoxville, TN, and after relocating to Maumelle, she united with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR; she sang in the choir of both churches and loved all kinds of music, as well as reading and writing personal notes and letters. She showed love to all she came in contact with and conversely everyone loved and admired her! She was affectionately known as "Mommie" to most, and "Granny" to others. She was a dedicated wife, mother, doting grandmother, and friend, but most importantly she was a humble, faithful servant of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. She leaves to cherish her memory: daughters Adonna Hardway and Linda Hardway-Waddell, son-in-law Ernest M. Waddell, grandchildren Natalee Qahhaar and Albert L. Dotson, and great-grandson Joshua Kane Scott along with many former students and cherished friends across the country.

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