Jimmie Walter Harden

Jimmie Walter Harden April 11, 1928 - December 25, 2016 Jimmie Walter Harden died on December 25, 2016 in St. Augustine, Florida. He was born April 11, 1928, in Kimberly, Alabama and was the 9th child and second son of Walter and Hattie Harden. He graduated from Mortimer Jordon High School in Morris, Alabamaand is an Alumnus of Covenant College, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jimmie served two tours in the U.S. Army serving in Okinawa and stateside as an MP and played football on his Army camp team. Mr. Harden’s career began as an accountant, US Pipe, Birmingham, auditor, Florida State Prison, Raiford. In 1961, he joined Baptist Memorial Hospital (now Baptist Health System, Jacksonville) as Controller, promoted to Vice President, retiring in 1984. He joined Methodist Hospital Jacksonville as Vice President and later joined Greenleaf Medical Psychiatric, Drug & Alcohol Center, Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia as Executive Director. He also served as a hospital management consultant in Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Oklahoma and later as Executive Director of St. Augustine Psychiatric Hospital. Mr. Harden achieved the highest status of Fellow in the American College of Hospital Executives (FACHE). He was a 32 degree Mason (Raiford Lodge #82) Scottish Rite, and a member of the Morocco Shrine Temple, Jacksonville, Fl. He was a member of the Southside Business Men’s Club of Jacksonville and served as President 1970-1971, and President of both Ringgold Rotary Club and Rossville Rotary Club in Georgia. He led congregational singing at Baptist church choirs in many communities in which he lived. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga. In 1998, he became a founding member of Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of St Johns County (ESHC) and created programs and services to assist homeless families with minor children. He served on the Board of Directors as President and as Treasurer during the past 18 years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carley Jeanette “Jean” Caradine Harden, his daughter, Deborah Jean Harden Baker, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, grandson Charles Russell Baker and wife Lauren Clinton Baker and two beautiful great-grand-daughters, Stella and Ruby Baker, Plymouth, Michigan, Godchildren, James Holloway and Lynn Holloway Hoover, Ringgold, Ga. Sister-in-law Brenda Edwards, brothers-in-law Jerry Caradine and David Caradine and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. Services will be held at St. Johns Family Funeral Home in St. Augustine on Wednesday, December 28th at 11 a.m. and at Kimberly Church of God, Kimberly, Alabama on Saturday, December 31st, with interment at Freewill Cemetery in West Jefferson, AL. Visitation one hour prior to each service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition, P.O. Box 3422, St. Augustine, FL 32085-3422. Donations will be dedicated to the ongoing mission of the Homeless Coalition and are gratefully appreciated. Arrangements are under the care of St. Johns Family Funeral Home and Crematory.