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Dec. 18, 1935 — April 3, 2024 

Rev. Dr. John Elliotte Harwood Jr., 88 of Elon, North Carolina, passed away on Wednesday, April 3, at Alamance Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. 

Born in Prince Edward County, he was the son of the late John E. Harwood Sr. and the late Mary Scott Martin Harwood and was married for 51 years to Gail Santilli Harwood, who survives. 

He served for 41 years as a United Methodist Minister with the Virginia and North Carolina United Methodist Conference before retiring in 2002. Following retirement he was an educator at Strayer University and Alamance Community College for eight years. John’s motivation throughout his life was to care for others, shown first in ministry to his congregations and after he retired in teaching his community college students the critical thinking skills, which would benefit them in whatever paths their lives took. Rev. Harwood attended Front St. United Methodist Church and was a member of the Church Choir. John was an avid nature lover and photographer and enjoyed capturing nature in pictures. He also loved music, playing the piano and collecting fountain pens. 

Rev. Harwood is survived by his wife of the home; two children, Margaret Scott Harwood and her husband, Dan Dunlop, and John Carlton Harwood and his wife, Melissa; four grandchildren, Meg Cowan, Skylar Mailhes, Sydney Harwood and Carter Harwood; a sister, Susan H. Paul; a brother, Scott Harwood; and numerous nieces, nephews and close friends. 

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 11, at Front St. United Methodist Church, 136 South Fisher Street, Burlington, North Carolina 27215, by Rev. Marshall Old and Rev. Ray Warren. The family will receive friends following the service in the Heritage Center at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alamance Community College Foundation at www. accfoundation.com or P.O. Box 8000, Graham, NC 27253. 

You may send condolences and sign the online register at www.lowefuneralhome.com.