Obituary of Aaron Hardwick Efird

Aaron Hardwick Efird was born on January 12, 1954, to Catharine (Kitty) Hardwick Efird Johnston and Hugh Martin Efird at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Aaron was all brawn and described himself as being a “terror” of the Myers Park neighborhood he grew up in during his formative years – throwing water balloons at cars on Providence Road from tree houses above. From Kindergarten through eighth grade Aaron attended Charlotte Country Day School and spent his ninth through twelfth grade years at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. At Episcopal, Aaron was Captain of the wrestling team and was defeated only once during his entire wrestling career. Aaron also played football for Episcopal, and rumor has it he once tackled an opponent so hard that he broke his football helmet in two! Aaron graduated from high school in 1972 and stayed in Virginia to attend The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg. He was awarded a wrestling scholarship at William & Mary but decided not to accept it after the Coach required him to shave his highly coveted beard. Upon graduating college in 1976 with a B.A. in Geology and a minor in Art History, Aaron moved to Polkton, North Carolina to work for his father at Polkton Manufacturing Company. Two years later, the call of the ocean on the South Carolina coast won him over. Since 1962 Aaron had spent all of his summers at Litchfield Beach, and he moved there to realize his dream. Aaron started a scuba diving and fishing charter business called Waterproof Charters / Submariner Inc. along with his best friend Alex Salley. An athlete throughout his life, Aaron channeled his love of wrestling and football into diving, deep-sea fishing, swimming and surfing. In 1978, Aaron met his love and future wife Lenora (Len) Ann Carson. After an illustrious summer at the beach, Len and Aaron continued to date and were married on September 8, 1979, at The Church of the Nativity in Union, South Carolina. The lovebirds were married for 42 years living their first 8 years in Pawleys Island, South Carolina where they had their first-born, Catharine Carson Efird in 1983 at Georgetown Memorial Hospital. In 1987, the Efird family business needed Aaron at the helm, so he moved his family of three to Charlotte with the hope of more children. Aaron worked his way up to Vice President of Sales at Polkton Manufacturing, a government contractor for the United States Navy. While in Charlotte, Aaron and Len’s second child, Bonnie Elizabeth Efird, was born in 1989 at Presbyterian Hospital (the same hospital where Aaron was born). At one time, Aaron managed three cutting and sewing plants from North Carolina to Oklahoma supplying the U.S. Navy’s work wear uniforms worldwide. Aaron cared deeply for the hundreds of people who worked with him to make Polkton Manufacturing Company a success. After a 32-year career at Polkton Manufacturing, Aaron retired, and he and Len moved back to the South Carolina coast where they settled in Debordieu… a lifelong dream fulfilled. Aaron was a passionate man, full of life and appreciation for nature and the ocean. He was so happy to continue deep sea fishing and boating-life on a daily basis into retirement. He did many good deeds for others and wanted no recognition for them. He loved his family above all else and worked hard to provide a wonderful life for them as a hands-on Dad. Aaron’s proudest accomplishment was being a husband to Len and a father to his daughters, Carson and Bonnie. Aaron is survived by his wife, Lenora Ann Carson Efird, his daughters Catharine Carson Efird (Joseph Ross Westerlund) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Bonnie Elizabeth Efird (Jonathan James Cooke) of Santa Monica, California, his sister, Ellen Efird Gould of Spartanburg, South Carolina, his brother, Hugh Martin Efird, Junior of Aiken, South Carolina, as well as his nieces Katie Gould Butler, Lauren Gould Ward (Bestor), Elizabeth Gould and Carrie Gould, his brothers-in-law Trey Carson (Anita Carson) of Alexandria, Virginia, Ty Carson (Nancy Carson) of Lewisville, North Carolina and Kit Shelton (Chad Shelton) of West Columbia, South Carolina, as well as his nephews Forthe Carson (Megan), Ryne Carson, Chase Shelton, and his nieces Caroline Shelton and Lindy Goodnow (Will). Aaron loved his extended family and enjoyed taking them on boat trips over the years – a favorite family outing. Donations in Aaron’s honor can be made to Prince George Winyah Church in Georgetown, South Carolina, The Prostate Cancer Foundation, The Surfrider Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Aaron’s memorial service will be held on Monday, April 11, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET at Prince George Winyah Church, 300 Broad Street, Georgetown, South Carolina with a reception to follow in the church Parrish Hall. Online condolences may be left at www.ridgewayfh.com Ridgeway Funeral Home of Georgetown is in charge of the arrangements. (843) 485-4242