Rev. Dr. Charles "Slim" Franklin Hartzog

Rev. Dr. Charles “Slim” Franklin Hartzog, PhD., 90 of Franklin NC went home to be with the Lord Thursday January 29th 2026. He was born in Coffee Co. Alabama to the late Ruth Chapman and Daniel F Hartzog.

A devout man and ordained minister, Charles attended church at Ridgecrest Baptist. He loved his family, fishing, gardening and his cats. Charles had a true passion for electronics and computers, at the age of 11 (1946) he took the family radio apart and had it reassembled before the local radio station went off for the night. Rev Dr. Hartzog retired as a Technical Specialist from Southwestern Community College. He was also a business entrepreneur, during his lifetime, Charles owned a service station, car lot, his own trucking company where he also drove a semi-truck. Later he started a paint and body shop where he taught himself to be a diesel mechanic and to repair wrecked or damaged semis.

His true calling though was electronics; he could master any problem with computers or anything electrical. Charles obtained several degrees in the electronics field through DeVry Technical Institute, Southwestern Community College and several other colleges online. He also taught electronics at Southwestern Community College and was a key person in the installation of the fiber optics system. Everyone knew him as “Slim or Slim Pappy” he would always laugh and say I’m the only person that their dad even calls them Pappy. Ham radio was another of his hobbies he loved, he obtained the Amateur Extra Class license which is the highest license you can receive for a ham radio operator.

Slim was always willing to help a neighbor or someone in need from scraping the snow of the road so the neighbors could travel safer, pulling floats in parades, or helping a friend with any task.

Charles is survived by his wife of 71 years, Sarah Ruth Horne Hartzog, his daughter Teresa (Chuck) Haney; two granddaughters Brandie (Charlie) Hopkins and Tiffany (Brian) Albury; seven great grandchildren, Alexandria Hopkins, Kyleigh Hopkins, Kassandra Hopkins, Madisyn Albury, Haiden Albury, Jayden Albury and Gabriel Albury.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter Leilani “Ruthie” Lanham, son in law Howard Lanham, and his son James “Jimmy” Franklin Hartzog.

Charles will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Thursday, February 5, 2026, in the Grant Chapel of Bryant-Grant Funeral Home with Rev. Brandon Breedlove officiating. The family will receive friends from, 10:00-11:00 AM prior to the service at the funeral home. A private burial will follow the service at Ridgecrest Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Brian Albury, Charlie Hopkins, Chuck Haney and Boyce Cunningham. Honorary pallbearers; Randy Cunningham, Kevin Rogers, and Greg Church.

The family would like to say a special thank you to the nurses and all the staff at Macon Valley Nursing and Rehab for all your care and support over these past months. Also, a heartfelt thank you for the Angel Walk as Charles was leaving the facility.

Online condolences can be left at www.bryantgrantfuneralhome.com

Bryant-Grant Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the Hartzog family.