Lori Jill Hardin

Jill Short Hardin was born on September 22, 1951, in Leon, Iowas, to Garld Short and Ardna Ethel Massey Short. The family moved to Bull Shoals, Ark., in 1957. Jill graduated from Flippin High School and went on to earn a bachelor of music education degree from State College of Arkansas (now University of Central Arkansas). Following completion of a master of music education degree from Henderson State University, she taught elementary music in the Conway Public Schools. From 1977-1983, she sang in performances and worked as production manager for the Arkansas Opera Theatre, the forerunner of Wildwood Center for the Performing Arts. During one of the rehearsals, she met Richard Hardin. She was immediately attracted to him because of his talent, good looks, love of puns and corny humor, and for the man of faith and integrity that he was. They married on June 9, 1979. They shared a love of music, sang in choirs together, nurtured the musical talents of their two daughters, and attended countless choir and band performances, church programs, and school events from their children's kindergarten through college years. Jill was a stay at home mother who loved teaching her daughters and being a daily part of their formative years. She determined that they would be exposed to books and music. Every nap and every bedtime was preceded with stories and music. A cassette tape machine played children's songs, lullabies, hymns, or classical music to help them fall asleep. Jill loved having fun with her family. She liked to make up songs about doing daily tasks like picking up toys. She put new lyrics (often silly or parody) to familiar melodies, just for fun. She loved telling her daughters the stories of Jesus and her highest compliment as a parent was that each chose to follow Him as Lord of her life. When her children were school age, Jill returned to work and held positions with The Health Resource, Hendrix College, and University of Arkansas. She was a skilled writer, researcher, and proofreader. She cringed at bad grammar, forgave (and corrected) spell check errors, and loved to provide quality work. She was a loyal and hard-working employee. She liked to brainstorm new ideas and ways to streamline processes to make everyone's job easier and more productive. Many of her ideas were implemented by the departments in which she worked. She was a member of the state and international chapters of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, serving terms as communications director and secretary for the state chapter. She was also active for a time in community theatre and community choruses. Jill liked crossword puzzles, family gatherings, giving gifts, writing and receiving letters, and encouraging others. Jill was baptized into the body of Christ in her youth, put her faith in Jesus as her Savior, and worshiped with other believers in the earthly denominations of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. She knew and admitted that she was flawed. So she loved to hear sermons on God's great love and abundant grace. She sought to live a thankful life, acknowledging the blessings she received throughout her life, especially her loving parents and siblings. She had parents who led her to Christ, taught her about hard work, integrity, and treating people fairly. She had siblings who loved her and gave her encouragement throughout her life. She had an abundance of memories of happy family times. These brought her great joy. She created a gratitude journal and tried to write down three things each day for which she could thank God. Her family members' names made it on the list many times. Jill died on March 5th, 2015. She was predeceased by her father, Garld and Ardna Short, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Delmas Howell Hardin and Pauline Butler Hardin, and her brothers­ in-law, Delmas Farrell Hardin and Gary Don Hardin. She is survived by the following immediate family members: husband, Richard daughters, Amy Hardin and Emily Dykstra; son-in-law, Austin Dykstra; and grandchildren, Job Dykstra, Lorelei Dykstra, and Seth Dykstra. She is also survived by sisters, Tarla Kilgore and Coyla Hudson; brother, Roger Short; brother-in-law, Karldon Hudson and sister-in-law, Jeri Short. Her extended Short family includes the families of her nephews Jeff Kilgore, Devin (Kristi) Kilgore, Kelvin (Holly) Hudson, Stephen (Lauren) Short, and Chris (Ashley) Short, and her niece Gina (Steve) Riggs. Her extended Hardin family includes in-laws Donna Hardin, Douglas and Sharon Hardin, Raymond Hardin, Philip and Shirley Hardin, and Lloyd and Carol Page, and their families. Many other cousins, aunts, and uncles in the Short, Massey, Hardin, and Butler families survive her, too. Jill is also survived by two sisters-in-Christ and lifelong friends: Debbie (Robert) Anderson and Teresa (Rick) Claiborne and their families. Debbie and Teresa were Jill's former neighbors in Little Rock. In 1994, a girls' getaway weekend was established. Always the first weekend in December, the three would go to places in the Arkansas­ Oklahoma-Kansas-Missouri area. They would catch up on family news, exchange Christmas presents, shop, and attend craft shows or Christmas home tours. In the mid-2000s, they began scheduling a couples' weekend in Branson in the spring, so that their husbands could keep their friendships strong, too. In addition, Jill leaves behind special friend, Janet (Travis) Stanford. Through church and school activities, the Hardin family became friends with the Stanford family, whose daughters, Allison and Meredith, were the same ages as Amy and Emily. Together, the families enjoyed hiking adventures, fellowship, shared meals, and board games. Jill was blessed with many friendships in her church choirs and Sunday School classes. She is especially thankful for the Wanderers Class and Sanctuary Choir of Central United Methodist Church of Fayetteville. She enjoyed the organ and piano preludes, postludes, and offertories skillfully played each week by Jonathan Story. His music was the highlight of every worship service and deeply meaningful to her. Jill held dear her caring co-workers in the Development Research department at the University of Arkansas- Bonnie, Brenda, Sharla, Kate, Tyler, Lathe, Adam, and Jason, and her many other friends in the Advancement department. A memorial service will be held at Central United Methodist Church, 6 Dickson St., Fayetteville, Ark. 72701 at 11 a.m. on March 5, 2015 with Dr. John Robbins officiating. Memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church Music Ministry or to the Willard Walker Hospice Home, 324 E. Longview St., Fayetteville, Ark. 72703. Arrangements are by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home. At Jill's request, her body will be cremated.