Don Hardin passes away

Hi Everyone,
I'm Don's daughter. Our family wants you all to know that we appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts.

I will post here when we have arrangements made.

He did Love six man football and I take comfort in the fact that he won't have to choose which game to attend on Friday night anymore, he'll be able to see all of them from heaven.

Angela Moczygemba
 
Prayers from Grady!

Mr. Hardin called me two years ago when I was coaching at my former school and made a suggestion to "GET OUT OF THERE!" I did and it changed my life.
 
A few years back Prairie Lea was stuck in a long losing streak. When we finally broke out and got a win Mr. Hardin was the first person to call me and congratulate our team. It was an extremely kind gesture and one that I will never forget. Don didn't just follow the top programs, he followed all the programs. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Jarratt Shipp
PLISD
 
Angela, your father was one of the nicest men I've ever met. I did not know him as well as many on here but he made me feel like a friend from the first time I did meet him a couple of years ago. I feel like the opportunity to converse and watch a couple of games under the oak tree in Hico this past year with him was a divine blessing. We have traded comments many times on here the last few years and I have refered to him as "Dr. Don" out of respect for his knowledge of the game. I'd come to know that if I went to a game not involving "my" team and didn't know anyone there that if I stumbled across him I could count on a smile, handshake and a warm greeting.
Please convey the feelings of this community to your mother and the rest of your family. If there is anything at all we as a group or individually can assist you with in your time of sorrow please do not hesitate to contact us.
May the Lord bless and keep you and yours. Ron Bulman.
 
I had talked to Don last fall about getting together with some of our respective teammates(Lueders-Avoca and Strawn) sometime soon and revisit some our football memories. He told me about how the 1969 season went for him, getting injured and the great Marathon team ending Lueders season on a losing note. I was amazed at all his involvement with all things sixman football. His passion was obvious, his many articles and anecdotes on Lonestar Football, sixmanfootball, etc. His legacy is he gave so much of himself to the sport and its people. What a wonderful role model. We have some large shoes to fill. He promoted sixman football across Texas and we need to continue that legacy. Don, we miss you. God bless your family.
 
Here is some biographical information that Don sent me on himself back when we became acquainted. He wrote this in 2008.

In Don's words....

"I graduated from Lueders-Avoca in 1970. I played football there just my senior year. My mom and dad are both deceased. They were huge football fans and it rubbed off on me. My wife and I married in 1972 and we lived in Abilene until 1987 when we moved to the Dallas Fort Worth area. We lived there until 1992 and then moved back to Abilene. Our three children all graduated from Abilene High. After graduating from high school, I kept up with six-man scores but that was about it. Five years ago I started moving back into the six-man game. Three years ago I decided to follow six-man whole heartedly. I love the game. I don't like all offense and no defense. Being from the old school, I still believe defense wins championships.

It is grossly unfair that six-man schools can't get the same coverage as big schools get. I wished that we could build a network of six-man fans that would report on their games. "
 
I live in the Metroplex and the news just reached me. I am stunned. I considered Don one of my very best friends in the world. In fact, I just saw him at the regional basketball tournament at ACU and enjoyed catching up on old times while watching some good basketball. Don and I met around 1993 while we both worked for Southwestern Bell(Now AT&T). I was president of the union at Bell and he was my Legislative Director. We spent many an hour driving between Abilene and Austin, just solving world problems and enjoying each others company.

I had sons that played football at Ira and Don told me that going with me to see them play is what rekindled his love of six-man. He was the best ambassador that six-man football could ever hope to have. On another post, they're talking about honoring him in some way. Maybe a stadium in his honor, the all-star game, or one of the Kickoff Classics. I hope the coaches can make that happen. After all he's done for six-man, he deserves that.

I moved away from Abilene in 2001, but Don and I never lost touch. We talked and texted often, getting together when we could, keeping up with each other and each others families. My heart is broken. Rest in peace, my friend. We will meet again someday.
 
I walked outside a little while earlier. It's a beautiful afternoon. A little cool, no wind, nary a cloud in the sky. I looked up at the sky and thought, I wonder if maybe they have a state game in Heaven every day. Nobody wins or looses, they all won just by getting there. They just play for fun. No wind sprints or two a days. I'll bet in Don's case Luders plays in that game every day. And he will never miss a game. Hope to see him again at one of those big games in the sky when my time comes.
 
51eleven":awuxmiud said:
I walked outside a little while earlier. It's a beautiful afternoon. A little cool, no wind, nary a cloud in the sky. I looked up at the sky and thought, I wonder if maybe they have a state game in Heaven every day. Nobody wins or looses, they all won just by getting there. They just play for fun. No wind sprints or two a days. I'll bet in Don's case Luders plays in that game every day. And he will never miss a game. Hope to see him again at one of those big games in the sky when my time comes.
Click to expand...

Perhaps there's a Heavenly version of six-man like this old Sven & Ole joke ...

Okay ...

Sven and Ole shared season tickets for the Packers all their lives. Sven passes away and a few years later, Ole joins him in Heaven.

Sven meets his friend Ole at the Pearly Gates and welcomes him to eternity. "So, Sven," says Ole, "What's Heaven like?"

Sven tells him, "Heaven is wonderful. Every day is Packer Sunday and we're always playing at home." Just then, both of them appear in a celestial version of Lambeau Field and they head to the seats they had for years on earth.

Ole is dumfounded. All the great Packers of the past are on the field. Tony Canadeo, Lambeau himself, Reggie White, Ray Nitscke, Henry Jordan. All there and wearing the green and gold. But then, he looks to the sideline.

"Isss ... Issss .... Isss Thhhhhhhatttttt ..... Is Thaaaaaat ...," Ole stutters, "Is Thaaaattt VVVVVViiiiiince VVVVVinnnice Lommmmmmbaaarrrrdddi?"

"Nah," says Sven. "That's God. He thinks he's Lombardi."

Again, our prayers and sympathy to Don's family. I'm kinda thinking there was a pretty decent party in Heaven last night to welcome Don in the front gate.
 
Who and where would one send a donation to the family of Don Hardin?
Would be nice to send a donation to maybe [Cowboy] or someone who in turn could see that the family of Mr. Hardin knows the sixman family cares?
I'm in!,,
 
I am re-posting just to make sure everyone sees.

All-On behalf of Don's family - we LOVE all of the ideas you have posted on this forum. In the obituary we asked that people donate to a charity of their choice. We would love to have a scholarship fund setup in his name or have people donate towards six-man football in some way. We just didn't know if there was such an organization. If you would like to wait until we can have time to setup some sort of memorial/scholarship fund, please feel free to do so. This just happened way too quickly for all of us and we were not prepared at all.

I cannot express how much all of your notes have meant to us during our grief. We are planning to put many of them on-screen at the visitation tomorrow because you all described my dad the way we also knew and loved him. We have asked Cowboy to speak at the service and we look forward to meeting him in person ourselves.

Thank you again for everything. We are fine financially, please save your money for a way to honor my dad in only the way that sixman football can do.

Angela
 
donsdaughter -

Don was a charter member of a newly formed group called the six-man writers' association, we had a get together online and talked some things out and we will be working on trying to get a scholarship set up in his name asap.

I wish I could express in some way how much your father ment to me, he was a geat friend of mine. I wish I could attend Thursday but I'm in Virginia and just can't get down there, and I want to be there so bad it hurts me knowing I can't be there.

Please know that words can't describe what Don ment to the players, coaches, fans and small towns across the state that played this game. He loved the game and the game and everyone involved with it loved him.

If there is anything you need from me please let me know.

Leman Saunders
 
Angela thank you for letting us know the families wishes. We all loved your dad as you do. During a conversation with him he was telling me about you and how much he loved you and the rest of his kids. Not only does he love 6-man football , he loved all of you more. Know as much as we loved your dad, we love his family also. If there is anything any of us can do for you and your family, please let us know. We have all asked God to comfort your family and we send our deepest sympathy's. A Scholarship sounds wonderful. In honor of your dad and his loved ones. Melani Burkhart
 

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