Harry Winston Hastings' Obituary
Harry Winston Hastings was born on 2 August 1923 to Edwin Hastings and Ruth Eumenas Caldwell Hastings in Concord. He spent the first 15 years of his life in Concord. The family then moved to Kannapolis where they lived on Walker Street. Harry was also known as “The Mayor of the Mall”, where he spent many years as a well-known fixture of the Concord Mall. Harry was the “Real” grandson of Civil War hero Denson Alexander Caldwell and Harriet Messina Miller.
Harry enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on 27 February 1943. He served on the USS Brooklyn, USS Philadelphia, USS Augusta and the USS Vulcan. He was attached to the USS Brooklyn during the invasion of Sicily and Naples, Italy. He was involved in the beachhead landing of Anzio, Italy during the inshore bombardment of German installations of Gaeta, Italy. He was onboard the USS Augusta while in Marseilles and Toulon when Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt met onboard. He was then assigned as a personal chauffer to the Admiral of the ComruDiv Eight until the end of the war.
He was awarded the EAMET Medal with three Bronze Stars with Valor for his service while in the U.S. Marines.
Harry leaves behind his niece, Melva Winston Bartush and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm Friday, May 8, 2015, at Lady’s Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Mike Hubbard will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow at Carolina Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 12 to 1:45 pm Friday prior to the service.
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