A Tribute to my Dad

Hollis Ray Hardin

March 10, 1929 - January 6, 2020

I’ve been thinking of ways to describe my dad. He was humorous, he never met a stranger, he could do just about anything he tried, and he loved to tease. If you were to meet him, most likely he’d have you smiling within a few minutes. He called everyone ornery. In fact, on his last day I asked him if he knew who I was. He said “you’re my ornery daughter!” I told him I learned to be ornery from the orneriest person I know. He smiled! I smiled!

He was a handsome man with dark hair and gorgeous blue eyes that always had a mischievous twinkle in them. I can see why my mother fell for him.

When my dad could no longer walk and transfer himself, we had to move him to a care facility. Even though no one wants to be in a care facility, my dad was accepting of his new home.  He spent a lot of time sitting looking out the front window at a busy highway. Many residents and staff members knew he didn’t like yellow cars, that there were more white and black cars than any other color, and that he wanted a three-wheel motorcycle (he pronounced it motorsickle.)

The second day dad was at the facility, I pushed him into the dining room and introduced him to a few people. “This is my dad. His name is Hollis Hardin.” One lady from across the room yelled “we know who he is, he’s the ice cream man!” My dad loved to eat ice cream and by the second day several residents and staff knew it!

He also loved his hot chocolate. As an Alzheimer’s patient he didn’t always know to ask for things he needed, but hot chocolate was the exception. One day I was watching through a window as he ate his meal. If I went into the dining room he would stop eating, so I always waiting for him to finish. Anyway, with a very loud and gruff voice he yelled “hot chocolate!” I couldn’t believe that was my dad! That was the first time I'd heard him yell in years and then he only yelled at his hunting dogs. One day he had several residents in the dining room yelling with him. I thought there might be a hot chocolate riot!

When I visited him, I only planned to stay a few minutes but I always stayed much longer. It was very relaxing sitting there with him, watching the cars go by, listening to his stories once again, and trying to make him laugh or smile.

I’m grateful for the last months I had with my dad. I will always treasure those times. My dad is now in a much better place. He’s in Heaven with his Lord, my mom, and a host of other relatives and friends. I miss him! I miss him a lot, but I know he’s so very happy and full of joy!