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Jo Paul Hardison
Joe Paul Hardison was born in Vernon on the 17th day of October to Charley and Leona Hardison. He passed away from his wonderful life February 17th, 2021. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, grandson Joe Dan Hardison and his loving wife Norma Lou Hardison. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the Childress Cemetery with Dr. Mike Henderson officiating. Joe is survived by a sister, Sue Bessonette of Ft. Worth, TX., son, Joe Billy and wife Karen Hardison of Mustang, OK, daughter Rhonda Phillips of Erick, OK., son Joe Wayne Hardison of Lubbock, TX., daughter Sherry and Mike Melton of Alba, TX, daughter Mary and husband Bobby Love of Childress, son Nicky Hasselvander of Childress; 15 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 8 great great grandchildren. Joe, at the age of 8, already had the dream and determination to be his own boss. From 8 to the age of 17 he had built a bicycle and motorcycle repair business after having a newspaper route and selling his mom’s chickens and eggs (not always with her permission). His love of automobiles remained a big passion of his all through his life which made him a self-taught backyard mechanic. We don’t really remember anything he couldn’t fix or build. At 17, determined to join the Korean War, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Army. He joined the paratroopers and made 16 combat jumps in enemy territory. Upon learning of dental training in Japan, he immediately jumped on the opportunity and in Japan he found his first love ... his occupation that would continue in his family for generations. No person loved his job as Joe Paul. He continued making teeth up to three days of his passing in his bed. He made lots of teeth for his fellow servicemen and when possible would mark MADE IN TEXAS. Joe touched everyone’s life who met him. Even the Japanese dentist visited him in America 10 years after the war. He was very proud to receive the Certificate of Specialist for 50 years that only is shared with one other in the world. In 1953 he met his second and most loved thing in his life, Norma Lou, and were married within 6 weeks in Vernon. After living in a one room garage apartment with two small children and making teeth in the kitchen, a chance to make it with his lab so he moved the family to Childress to a three room house and continued making teeth in a bigger kitchen. He told us he had no wedding ring because he melted it down to make a crown for a patient because they had no money to buy gold. But eventually he was becoming successful and a move to Ave J N.W. in 1955 proved he was stepping on up. Finally, his own dental lab in his own backyard...an advantage and disadvantage with six children 40 ft from your business. As years passed so did his interest in Childress and also his family grew in leaps and bounds. With a busy lab usually working to 3 a.m., he still found time to be a backup quarterback for a regional adult football team, coached American Legion baseball and Little League. I remember lots of summer nights mother putting us in the car in our pjs and parking till late at night watching baseball games from the car. He was scout master for the Bonehead Boy’s for Joe Wayne and Joe Billy only tagging alone to enjoy the big trip to the St Louis pro baseball game. And most of the grandkids should feel lucky being taught dominoes by the greatest. There was a summer he opened a Bar-B-Q place and put the three girls to work, Rhonda cooking, Sherry running the cash register and Mary just stealing the customers attention. He had a great love for music and dancing and was very protective of his hifi stereo and being the first in town to get a colored TV. It was always talent night at our house on the weekends, but the parents always stole the show with their dancing. Joe wanted each child to find a love for something. He drove a lot of miles for football, baseball, twirling, cheerleading and rodeos. He was more excited we think about state playoffs than Nicky was. The empty nest came but that was just a new chapter for them. The dental lab continued producing teeth but also came farming and RVing and the third love, grandchildren. As great grandchildren began joining our family the two pioneers decided to move to Nocona Hills along with our Dad’s long lost best friend, Ray and wife, Juanell Mims, to enjoy their golden years together. Friends can’t last forever so back to his town of many years he settled in Childress once again. But Parkinson’s moved with them also so another move they needed to make. Joe loved God, family, work, friends and just life in general. He lost Norma at 63 years of marriage and it was very difficult his last six years without her but he kept on smiling. It’s nice to know they are together making teeth during the day, dancing at night and his blue eyes sparking every time he looks at her. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Hospice Organization of your choice. Hospice became Joe’s family the last year of his life.October 17, 1930 - February 8, 202110/17/193002/08/2021
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Jo Paul Hardison
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