Charles Leroy Hardesty, son of the late William and Janie Hardesty, was born January 5, 1953 in Beaufort, NC. He departed this life on Saturday, January 5, 2013.

Charles graduated from East Carteret High School in 1971, where he was a standout pitcher and quarterback. He received a Bachelor's of Arts in Industrial Arts from Elizabeth City State University. While serving the ECSU Vikings football team as its quarterback during his collegiate years, he achieved national acclaim.

After he graduated, Charles returned to Beaufort as a recreational site director for Carteret County's parks and recreation department, where his passion for youth allowed him to mold the lives of the young men he came across in his work. He related to their humble beginnings and offered himself as an example of the places one could go with a little hard work and dedication.

Charles left Beaufort and went into the seafood business in the early 1980s. He had always displayed an entrepreneurial spirit, and parlayed a seafood operation out of the back of his truck into a seafood market and restaurant in Winston-Salem, NC. From the beginnings of driving fresh catches all the way from Beaufort to sell at flea markets in the Triad region, he eventually built a business, Forsyth Seafood, with his wife Virginia in 1983. Today, it's a restaurant of statewide renown in Winston-Salem, NC. The business sponsors many activities in the Winston-Salem community, from programs at Winston-Salem State University to Pop Warner football.

Charles was a member of Goler Memorial AME Zion Church in Winston-Salem, NC for 32 years. He used his cooking gifts to help initiate the church's Goler Café that served as a point of fellowship after services. For many years, Charles and Forsyth Seafood fed many in the homeless community through the church's Goler Empowerment Zone. This represented only one of his many charitable endeavors that he performed freely of heart, allowing God's blessings for him to flow to others.

He leaves to cherish his loving and devoted wife of 33 years, Virginia Oden Hardesty; his daughter, Ashley Charlaye Hardesty of Winston-Salem, NC; a loving and faithful sister, Mamie Hardesty (Leroy) Cox of Beaufort, NC; nieces and nephews, Lloyd, Martin, Denise (Jeff Frazier), Deirdra (Clarence Wilson), Aaron, and Janie; his special and devoted cousin, John (Teresa) Tyson; brothers and sisters-in-law, Curtis (Melissa) Oden, Jr., William (Ethel) Oden, Kenneth (Mary) Oden, Marsha (Melvin) Backman, and Kimberly Oden; and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 2pm Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at Goler Memorial AME Zion Church with Reverend George Banks officiating. The family visitation will be held from 1pm until 2pm on Wednesday at the Church. Services will also be held at 12noon Friday, January 11, 2013 at Purvis Chapel AME Zion Church, Beaufort, NC. Interment will follow in Ocean View Cemetery, Beaufort, NC on Friday.