Joan Sawyer

Ms. Joan Hardin Sawyer age 86, of Brookhaven, GA passed away on Tuesday April 13, 2021 at Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA following an extended illness.

Funeral services are scheduled for Friday April 16, 2021 at 11:00 AM in the Lincoln Cemetery Chapel, 2275 Joseph E. Boone NW, Atlanta, GA with entombment to follow in Happy Valley Memorial Gardens in Elizabethton, TN. Dr. Herbert Bridgewater will officiate the service.

Joan was born on November 11, 1934 to the late Clay Hardin Sr. and Sophia Oliver Hardin. Joan previously owned and operated the historic Lincoln Cemetery and Monte Vista Biblical Gardens in Atlanta, GA. She later branched out to Decatur and owned and operated Washington Memorial Gardens and Dawn Memorial Park. She was a member of Northside Baptist Church. She was a graduate from East Tennessee State University.

She was a past president of the Georgia Cemetery Association, Southern Cemetery Association. Joan was the 1st woman to be the president of both the Southern Cemetery Association and Georgia Cemetery Association. She was a member of the League of Women Voters. She was also the first female board member of the prestigious Ravinia club and was the first female member for several significant community organizations.

She was a trailblazer for many women’s association groups and women’s rights. She served as the president of the Women’s Prestigious Association of Atlanta, Ga. Joan is in the Hall of Fame for the Boys and Girls Club of Atlanta. She was awarded The Outstanding Community Service Award from The Concerned Black Clergy of Metro Atlanta. The Lincoln Family Group was present at the outstanding annual gala and was nominated for this prestigious award by the Reverend Dr. H. Jeremiah Bridgewater Jr. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Clay Hardin, Jr.

Ms. Sawyer is survived by her son, Jack Frost, II of Atlanta, Ga, and her grandchildren, Shayda Frost of Los Angeles, California, and Parisa Frost of Los Angeles, California, great-nephew Sergio Montescelis of Newnan, Georgia and a host of their family members and friends.

Due to Covid-19, the family requests that everyone attending the visitation and service wear a mask and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Memorial Park Funeral Home, 2030 Memorial Park Road, Gainesville, GA 30504 is in charge of arrangements. Kevin Wetzel, her nephew, will be conducting all arrangements. Send online condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com