Joe Harty

Joseph Henry Thompson Harty, “Joe”, died on Thursday, October 17, 2024. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Augusta, GA with Fr. Chris Hassell celebrant and Fr. Thomas Healy as concelebrant. The family will receive friends prior to the Mass, beginning at 10:00 A.M. Burial will follow at the Alleluia Cemetery in Dearing, GA.

Joe was a man of great compassion, intellect, and faith. He was a devout Catholic, a loving and forgiving brother, a loyal friend, and a godfather who prayed daily for all of his family and extended family. Joe was born in Savannah at Telfair hospital the third child of nine on December 23, 1955, to Tony and Lucinda Harty. He was a graduate of Saint James Catholic School and Benedictine Military School in 1973. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Grady College of Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Georgia with a BBA in 1977. Joe started his career in Chicago for a Catholic publishing house. Missing his southern coastal home, he returned to Savannah where he became programming director for a local TV station, allowing him to meet many television stars of the day – escorting Barbara Eden in the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade one year and meeting then President Richard Nixon. His career moved into advertising sales in Savannah, Charleston and finally in Aiken South Carolina for the Aiken Standard.

Upon relocating to the Augusta/CSRA area, Joe joined the Alleluia Faith Community, where he felt a kindred spirit for love of God and others. He became a Full Covenant member of Alleluia in 2002. Joe lived a happy and active life within Alleluia and extended his family to friends he made there. A fierce Catan player, Joe is best remembered for his fast wit, boundless joy, fantastic intellect, love of the coastal waters, and most of all, classic films - Joe’s recall for all things film related was detailed and spot on whether the matter was actors, directors or musical scores. If you were a friend of Joe’s, you were a friend for life – to which all his dear friends in “The Great Society” can attest.

The kindest big brother, best man at his brother’s wedding and sending his youngest sister $50 a week while she was in graduate school to “never have an empty fridge.” Defender of the unborn, Joe was the epitome of quiet reserve and rarely spoke of anyone with malice. As one of his Alleluia family stated, “it would be hard to meet a gentler, kinder soul than Joe.”

Joe is predeceased by his parents Tony and Lucinda, his brother Ty, and his sister Cephise. He is survived by his siblings: Jane McCall, Joan Genevieve Shuman (Donnie), William Sloan (Kat), John Nicholas (Tamara), Agnes Lucinda (Bill) and Margaret (Walter), nephews: Patrick (Cathy) and Tony, Jack, Pearson (Maria), Dylan (Keira) and niece Helen as well as great nieces and nephews Ford, Emory, Teagan, Oakley, and Theodore.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at Azalealand and Hospice Savannah for all the tender, loving, professional care Joe received there. In lieu of flowers, please send remembrances in Joe’s name to the Alleluia Community, P.O. Box 6805, Augusta, GA 30916.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com.