Stella Faye Hardin

Stella Faye Teague Hardin entered the arms of her Heavenly Father on Monday, August 10, 2015, in Fort Worth, Texas, at the age of 96. Stella is survived by her son, Gary Hardin, her grandchildren, Jason Hardin and Melinda Smith, her great-grandchildren, Benjamin, Sophia, and Samuel, and many loving nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, James Hardin and son, Larry Hardin.

Stella was born in Olney, Texas on November 15, 1918, to Bartow and Veola Teague. Her siblings were Mary Lee, Arthur Teague, Mabel Bearden, Floyd Teague, Mae Cantwell, Birdie Sloan, Alma Knight, Bernie Teague, Vernon Teague, and Ruby Oatman.

Her family survived the Great Depression on a farm in Olney. Stella graduated from Graham High School. Stella attended Hardin-Simmons University where she met James William Hardin. She used to say that she got her “Mrs.” degree in college. Jim and Stella were married on August 3, 1941. The newlyweds moved to Hunt, Texas, where Jim was pastor of Sunset Baptist Church. Later, they moved to White Deer, for Jim to serve as pastor. With the war growing worse, Jim volunteered to join the Army as a Chaplin. In 1946, Stella and their son, Gary, joined Jim in Japan. While in Japan, Stella, along with Dr. Edwin Dozier and Japanese Pastor Hori, visited many trade schools, factories and prisons preaching and teaching the Gospel. Stella taught a Bible class of over 500 students. Recently, Stella received an award from the military for these helpful efforts in Japan.

Stella and Jim returned to Fort Worth to complete their degrees at Southwestern Theological Seminary. During this period, Jim served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Kennedale, Texas. After graduating from Southwestern in 1951, they planned to return to Japan as missionaries. But the application was declined because of Jim’s health. Jim and Stella moved to Yuma, Arizona, where Jim became Pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church. Their second son, Larry Dwayne Hardin, was born in Yuma in 1953. Also during this period, they founded the Yuma Valley Association.

Their love of missions resulted in their call to Tucson, where Jim became Director of Missions of the Catalina and Cochise Associations. Stella was very active in the WMU and GA associations, while teaching Sunday School. While in Tucson, they founded the Twenty-Second Baptist Church. This church is now one of the largest Baptist churches in Arizona and served as a model for others to follow. Once everything was going well in Tucson, Jim & Stella accepted his call to become pastor of the First Baptist Church in Lomita, California. This turned into another successful church building program. While in Lomita, Stella was a leader in Welcome Wagon and Meals on Wheels, as well as WMU and GAs. Due to Jim’s deteriorating health, they decided to come back to their home base, Fort Worth. Soon, Jim & Stella accepted another church building challenge, as pastor, and built a new church in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, called Bullard Chapel Baptist Church. They commuted from Fort Worth each weekend to work in this church. Jim went to be with our Lord in 1974. Then, in 1983, their son, Larry, passed away, which was always one of Stella’s greatest sorrows. She became an active member of Travis Avenue Baptist Church. Stella enjoyed working as a furniture salesperson for Sanger-Harris. She received outstanding sales awards, and retired in 1985. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, who lost their mother at a young age, her family, traveling, and serving others. It was her passion of music that led her to join the Travis Senior Choir. When she moved to her present senior community, she began a Bible Study, which grew into a weekly church service. She joyfully led the music. She took welcome baskets to newcomers, and would personally invite them to the weekly worship. Stella had a gift of encouraging others. She focused on making life better for those around her. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy of love will live forever in the hearts of all who knew her.

A favorite Bible Verse of Stella’s was Psalm 104:33, “I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live”. Her life was indeed a song to the Lord.

To send the family a condolence, visit www.laurellandfuneralhome.com.