Jack M. Hardison

Born in Austin but raised in Llano, Texas, Jack was active in youth agriculture, his church and his community. Upon graduating in 1953 as the Llano High School salutatorian, he attended the University of Texas at Austin and served in the Texas Army National Guard. It was then, in 1958, that he met and married Judith Shropshire, the love of his life. In those early years, they began raising their sons in central and south Texas before settling in Austin in 1964.

Jack was a man of many talents but spent most of his professional career working in various positions within the American Cancer Society raising funds necessary for the fight against cancer. He began working in south Texas as a Field Representative in 1963 and retired in 1992 as the Texas Division Executive Vice President. He is remembered by his colleagues for his strong leadership; his disarming charm and wit; and his respect for those with whom he worked.

After retirement, he spent the remainder of his years devoting himself to Judy (his wife of 63 years), his five sons, eleven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He had many people he also adopted as family. Jack enjoyed family genealogy, cooking & collecting cookbooks, the outdoors, gardening, and trips to the Texas coast. He was a fiercely loyal husband, father and friend.

Mr. Hardison was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Aillene (Long) Hardison; his son, Dennis Hardison; and his older sister Margaret (Peggy) Tatsch.

Jack headed up a large and loving family. He is survived by his wife Judy of Austin and four sons:

Steve Hardison and wife Karen of Fredericksburg, Texas; Mike Hardison of Round Rock, Texas; Pat Hardison and wife Patty of Burnet, Texas; Eric Hardison and wife Cheryl of Round Rock, Texas; and his 'adopted' daughter Gail Simpson and her husband Stan of Elgin, Texas. He was proud of his eleven grandchildren and smitten with his nine great grandchildren. He is also survived by younger brother David Hardison and his wife Nancy of Fredericksburg, Texas and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and longtime friends, all of whom he held dear to his heart.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 10:00 am at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, located at 6100 North Lamar, in Austin, Texas. A family burial of the cremains will be at a later date in the family plot in the Llano City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions in his memory to The American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org