Leon Hardin

Leon Hardin of Magnolia died at the age of 85 on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at the Magnolia Regional Medical Center. He was born on January 28, 1925, on a farm near Louisville, Illinois. He was the son of Otto C. and Lena (Ranes) Hardin. He was a farm boy for most of his formative years and was inducted into the Army where he served in the South Pacific during World War II. After the war, he obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Illinois and finished doctoral work at Vanderbilt University. After a short stint of public school teaching, he joined the faculty of Southern State College (Southern Arkansas University) in 1953, where he remained until 1998, teaching education and psychology. In addition to teaching, he helped to create the SAU Rodeo Team and was charter president of the Archeological Society. A people oriented individual, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America and was scout master of local Troop 96 for 20 years, during which time he assisted 55 young men to attain scouting's highest rank, Eagle Scout. He received the Silver Beaver award, Woodbadge, and Scouter's Key. Interested in civic affairs, he served on the Magnolia City Council, the Magnolia Housing Authority, and represented Columbia County in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1977 to 1985. He was past commander of American Legion Post #3, served on the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Columbia County Fair Board and was a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary. A Christian, he was a member of Central Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and taught Sunday school for a number of years. Leon never got far away from farming. He owned land near McNeil where he raised cattle, hay, and timber. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Betty Miller Hardin of Magnolia; a son, Scott and wife Deena; daughters, Lisa and husband Andy Siegel of Texarkana, Arkansas, Gina and husband Max Hahnel of Shreveport, Louisiana; grandchildren, Morgan and husband Wes Pounds and Taylor Ingram both of Texarkana, Arkansas, Brock Hahnel and Haley and husband Rob Riley both of Shreveport, Louisiana, Miller and Afton Hardin of College Station, Texas; and great-grandchildren, Davis, Lexie, and Lorelei. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 10 a.m. at the Central Baptist Church with Bro. Steve Ford officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Lewis Funeral Home, Inc. of Magnolia. Family visitation will be Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Central Baptist Church or to the Southern Arkansas University Foundation. Pallbearers will be Miller Hardin, Brock Hahnal, Taylor Ingram, Jeff Neill, Jack Marshall, Jerry Austin, and Louis Blanchard. Honorary pallbearers will be his Sunday School Class and the faculty from Southern Arkansas University. www.lewisfuneralhome.biz.