JAY HARDIN

Funeral services for Jay Loyal Hardin, 80, a Weatherford, Oklahoma resident, will be held Saturday, August 13, 2016, 10:00 A.M. at Pleasant View Mennonite Church with Pastor Jeff Selzer officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of Lockstone Funeral Home. The family will receive friends Friday evening, August 12, 2016, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home.

Jay was born to Laurence L. Hardin and Mildred I. (Claunch) Hardin on June 28, 1936 in Weatherford, Oklahoma and joined his heavenly father on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at his home in Weatherford surrounded by his family. He was raised and attended schools there until he graduated from high school in 1955. He then attended college at SWOSU for one year. He worked for his families business raising chickens and traveling for summer wheat harvest when he was young, farmed for Albert Friesen before he was first married, and worked on numerous projects for Sawatzky Construction. He was active in the National Guard, and loved to have a car restoration project on hand at all times.

Jay married Jeraldene (Jerri) Friesen on August 25, 1956 and they had a daughter, Tami and a son, Jeffry. They enjoyed going to church on Sunday morning, summer family vacations, traveling and going to quarter mile drag races.

Jay later married Annette (Horst) Roof on July 26, 1975. Through that union he acquired four step children, David, Randy, Vicki, and Julie. Joining them in the home was Jeff, 11, Vicki, 10, and Julie 8 years old. Jay helped raise Vicki and Julie as his own from then on.

The blended family enjoyed going camping in eastern Oklahoma, floating the Illinois River, and celebrating holidays together. Jay was a very active, loving grandfather to his grandchildren, attending birthday parties, school and athletic events when he could, encouraging them to work hard and do it the right way the first time.

Jay worked for Sawatzky Construction for 49 years and farmed in his spare time. Some of the more notable projects that he worked on while employed by A. J. Sawatzky were the Mark Motor Hotel, First National Bank, First Baptist Church, Comfort Inn & Suites all in Weatherford. He also worked on the Eagles Nest Cabin at Falls Creek Baptist Church Camp in Davis, Sayre Junior College, Hampton Inn in Oklahoma City, Diffee Motors in El Reno, and Pleasant View Mennonite Church building addition. He also helped with many residential homes, including his step-daughter, Julie and husband, Roberts home, and numerous concrete tilt-up panel buildings in western Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City metropolis, and the Texas panhandle.

It was a rare occasion that you would not catch him whistling while he worked, even if it was while he was working at home. The kids remember him singing Another day, another dollar! every morning while he was getting ready for work. Jay had a contagious and enjoyable laugh and sense of humor.

Following retirement, he never stopped. He ran a farm and cattle operation. He and Annette managed a large garden and yard, including fruit and pecan trees. They have thoroughly enjoyed their time spent with their Pleasant View Mennonite Church family in recent years. Jay served as a trustee for 9 years as well as assisting with building the current completed building and addition. In 1994, Jay built their current home, where they hosted many Sunday school class, church groups, and family gatherings. Jay was willing to help just about anyone who asked. In the last few years he was also doing household chores and caring for Annette, until he got sick himself.

Jay was diagnosed with duodenal cancer in April of 2015 after going in for what he thought was going to be a somewhat routine heart check-up. He put up a valiant fight but could not overcome the incurable disease.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, and son, Jeffry Lynn.

Jay will sadly be missed by his wife, Annette of the home, one sister, Karen (Joe) Eustice of Florissant, MO, and one brother, Timothy of El Reno, OK. He will also be missed by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren: daughter Tami (Stan) Prichard of Twin Falls, ID, their children Chasstan of Slidell, LA (with one son), and Jeni of Twin Falls, ID (with two children); his step-son, David Roof and his children Brian (Tina) Roof (with two children), Derik Roof, and Nicole (James) Meza, all of Phoenix, AZ; his step-son, Randy Roof of Jenks, OK and his children Daniel (Vanessa) Roof of San Angelo, TX (with three children), Jennifer (Richard) Salazar of Friendswood, TX (with two children), Jordan Roof of Vernal, UT, and Patrick Roof of Ft. Worth, TX; his daughter-in-law, Angie Hardin of Weatherford, OK, Jeff and Angies children Tiffany, Hillary (Rusty) Barnes, Jarred, and Jayce all of Weatherford, OK; his step daughter, Vicki Roof, and her children Thomas and Keisha, all of Clinton, OK; and his step-daughter, Julie (Roof) (and husband Robert) Boese of Corn, OK and their children Jared of Weatherford, OK and Leah, Michael, and Spencer of Corn, OK .

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Pleasant View Mennonite Church building fund.