Thelma Lorene Elrod Hardesty

Our beloved Mother and Grandmother, Thelma Hardesty, passed from this life into the arms of Jesus Christ on Sunday evening, September 16, 2012. Thelma was born on March 17, 1925 in Seymour, Texas to Euel Dawson Elrod and Cecil Aaron Davidson Elrod. She grew up in Denton, Texas where she met the love of her life, William Kyle Hardesty. They were married on August 30, 1942 at the First Baptist Church in Denton, Texas following the Sunday morning church service.

In 1951, the family moved to Victoria and became members of First Baptist Church, where Thelma became the church’s Librarian for many years. She and Kyle were led by God to begin a new church on the north side of town and in 1992 , a group of 39 people began meeting in the Victoria Mall’s meeting room as Parkway Church. She and Kyle were Small Group Leaders in the church and she served on the Personnel Team and as Historian for the church.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Library Science at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, but beyond her love for the Lord, her family and church friends were the most important focus of her life. She was a two-time cancer survivor and had Alzheimer’s disease in recent years, but she always kept a positive attitude and continued to make new friends with everyone who met and admired her. At the time of her death, Thelma lived in the Fort Worth area near her daughter and son, and she was a member of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.

Thelma is survived by her daughter, Kathy Hardesty McGowan of Fort Worth and her husband, Dee W. McGowan, and her son, David Warren Hardesty of Plano and his wife, Beth Moore Hardesty, her daughter-in-law, Jennie Neill Hardesty of Cuero, eight grandchildren, Traci McGowan Murphy, John Thomas Hardesty, Michael Dee McGowan, Dr. Anne Marie Hardesty Walker, Loren Michelle McSwain, Jana Marie McSwain, Emily Anne Hardesty, Kyle Dawson Hardesty, and 11 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, William Kyle Hardesty, in 1997, her son, Richard Kyle Hardesty, in 1975, and her daughter, Ruth Elaine Hardesty McSwain, in 2002.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and eternal gratitude to Thelma’s caregivers, Kristina Bingham, Markisa Nedd, and Princess Velasquez for their exceptional care of Thelma over the past two years. They loved her as if she was their own grandmother.

The funeral service will be held at 3:30 PM Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Parkway Church in Victoria with Pastor Mike Hurt officiating. Burial will follow at the Shillerville Cemetery. A visitation for family and friends of Thelma will be held at Rosewood Funeral Chapel on Friday evening, 5:00-6:00 PM.

Memorial contributions in Thelma’s name may be made to Parkway Church in Victoria or Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas or the Richard Kyle Hardesty Memorial Scholarship, c/o Jennie Hardesty, 997 Lakey Road, Cuero, Texas 77954.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.