Jack Ray Hardin

Jack Ray Hardin of Amarillo, Texas passed away September 30 at age 87. He was born in Hargill, Texas on December 19, 1934 to Iman and Wilma Hardin. He was an infant when his parents bought some city lots in Raymondville, Texas, built a home and started Hardin Electric.

With the coming of the Second World War, Jack's dad followed jobs supporting the war effort. During this time, Jack lived with his grandparents, C. B. and Minnie Hardin in Wizard Wells, Texas. At the end of the war, the family moved back to Raymondville.

In the summer of 1946, his parents sold the electrical business and the family lived briefly in Plainview, Texas. In January 1947, the family purchased and settled on land northwest of Indiahoma, and Jack finished school, graduating with the class of 1953. He attended one year at Cameron College in Lawton.

June 4, 1956, he married Sheri Gleora (Gle) Otwell of Snyder. They moved to Trona, California and only lived there briefly when they relocated to Amarillo, Texas. Jack enrolled in electrical school and received his journeyman's electrical license. He was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 602 located in Amarillo. They eventually established Hardin Electric in Amarillo and sold it upon retirement.

They owned an RV and traveled. He loved to hunt and fish, and was an avid water skier. Jack suffered declining health the last 10 to 12 years of his life. He was a cancer survivor, he endured several surgeries to remove blood clots, a broken hip and arthritis. He was very close to losing his life due to an abdominal aneurysm. His health issues deprived him of the outdoor life he enjoyed, so the RV was sold and he was forced to forgo his love of fishing and hunting.

Jack and Gle met and grew to love a young family, Joseph and Sarah Veitheimer and their two daughters, Jazmine and Josie. These were the son, daughter and grandchildren they never had. Joseph and Sarah were the primary care givers for Jack and Gle for a number of years. They were Grandma and Grandpa to Jazmine and Josie.

Jack is survived by his wife, Gle, of the home, Joseph, Sarah, Jazmine and Josie of Amarillo, Texas. Also 2 nieces: Benita Adkins Bergman (Bruce) of Magnolia Texas, Fonda Adkins Peterson (Mark) of Justin Texas; great-nephews Jimmie Bergman (Shannon) Flint Texas, Cody Bergman and Charlie Martini near Houston Texas, James Peterson (Leah) and Jack Peterson both of Justin Texas; sister-in-law Cathy Hardin and nephew Loyd Hardin both of Teague Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Jimmie Hardin, sister Bettie Hardin Adkins, brother-in-law James Adkins, and nephew Philip Hardin.