Muriel (Gear) Hart

          Muriel Gear Hart, 88, died at her home in Givens Highland Farms on October 8th, 2019 in the loving presence of family and friends.
          She was the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Felix B. and Mrs. Leona Harper Gear; and a sister of the late Richard A. Gear. Muriel was married to Rev. A. M. (Mac) Hart for 67 years. Together, Muriel and Mac served Presbyterian churches and presbyteries in eight southern states. They had five children, Dave, Sandy, Gary, Liz and Doug, plus seven grandchildren. Muriel’s children will always remember their mother best for her lovely smile, her warmth, her home cooking, her appreciation for dry wit, and for imparting to them an abiding love of books and learning.
         Muriel was educated in the public schools of Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Agnes Scott College. In order to sharpen her skills for her passion to encourage women to become Presbyterian ministers, she obtained a Master’s in Political Economy from the University of Texas at Dallas. She also served as campaign director for Sara Bernice Moseley to be the first woman moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS), which was a significant and ultimately successful effort in the late 1970's.
          Elected to serve on the council chosen to lead the reunited Presbyterian Church in the USA (PCUSA), she was especially thrilled to serve on a committee that visited Taiwan, Japan, and Korea in the early 1980's.
          A memorial service for Muriel will be held on Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 PM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Muriel’s honor be directed to Black Mountain Presbyterian Church or Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Penland Family Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the Hart Family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Muriel (Gear) Hart, please visit our floral store.