Joe John "Hacksaw" Hardin

Thursday, January 06, 2011 Joe John " Hacksaw" Hardin, age 80 died Wednesday, January 6 at his residence near Ranger. John lived a very diverse life being born in Pampa, Texas in a covered wagon as his family was moving from Texas to New Mexico. He was a avid sportsman in his early years, having played multiple sports. He starred in football and boxing. His love of fishing and hunting was only surpassed by his passion for serving the Lord and the love he had for his family and many friends. He hunted with hounds for coons and was a master. He won the Texas Coon Hunting Championship in 1966 and the World Championship of Coon Hunting in 1967 John worked in the movie industry in the 1970's on the "Dallas" set and multiple movies :Blue Lagoon", Southern Comfort", " Not for Publication", "Cowboy", "Tender Mercies", "Silkwood", and "Places in the Heart" .. to name a few. He also body guarded several celebrities: Bill Bixby, Leon Russell, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Don Williams, Michael Jackson, and more. In the 1980's, John put his roots in Gordon County and worked in the trucking industry until he had a heart attack and stroke in 1996. Joe John was preceded in death by his mother Lennie Blanche and his father, Rhynard Bassey Hardin, a brother, J.D. Hardy, three past wives and loving mothers, Dorothy Lee Southerland, Mardella Lou Ryder, and Vivian Annette Oliver; and a son, Joe Hardin, Jr. He is survived by his children, Dennis Hill of Victorville, Ca. Richard Hardin of Dallas, Texas, J. Duwayne Hardin and his wife, Dee Hardin of Ranger, GA., Emma Rebecca Hardin of Calhoun, John Hardin, Jr. of Haltom, Texas, Vivian Hardin Harrison of Fort Worth, Texas; grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, step-children, and many friends. Thank you God for your greatest gift...for John is now kneeling and the feet of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Funeral service will be conducted at 3:00 PM, Saturday, January 8 at 3:00 PM, at the Chapel of Thomas Funeral Home with the Pastor Rick Adcock and Chaplin Michael Westmoreland officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Georgia National Cemetery near Canton on Wednesday at 11:30 AM. Pallbearers are Richard Kenemore, Scott Benson, Donny Watson, Shane Silvers, Charles Prater, Robert Carnley, Robby Carnley, Jimmy Wayne Payton, Charles Whaley, Eddie Tomlinson, Chapin Brookshire, Delmar Stone, and Matt Craig. They are asked to meet at the funeral home at 2:45 PM Saturday. On line condolences may be recorded at www.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com. Thomas Funeral Home has charge of arrangements for the services of Joe John "Hacksaw" Hardin of Ranger.