Obituary

A memorial service for Dr. Bill Hardage, 62, of Plainview, will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 31, 2006, in First Baptist Church Sanctuary with Dr. Travis Hart, pastor, officiating. Following the memorial service, the family will receive friends in the church parlor. Funeral arrangements are by Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. A memorial service also will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in Harral Auditorium on the Wayland campus. Dr. Hardage died Saturday, March 25, 2006, in San Benito County, Calif. Billy Dean Hardage was born May 7, 1943, in Clovis, N.M., to Lacy Monroe and Bertha Clementine Hardage. After Bill graduated from Lazbuddie High School, he attended Hardin-Simmons College in Abilene. He came to Wayland Baptist University in 1963, transferring from Hardin-Simmons to run for Wayland's new track and field program. After earning his degree in 1965, he moved to Lubbock to coach football and track at Coronado High School and then to Texas Tech University as assistant track coach and physical education instructor. He earned his master's degree there. Dr. Hardage returned to Wayland as track and field coach and assistant professor of physical education, serving for five years before taking a two-year break to earn a doctorate in education at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce). He returned to WBU as track and field coach and assistant professor of physical education for five years. He received his doctorate in education at Texas A&M-Commerce. In 1979, he became director of special services at WBU and was instrumental in expanding Wayland's reach in adding eight additional external campuses in the United States and in Kenya, Africa. He held several administrative posts and in 2001, he was named executive vice president. An avid pilot, Dr. Hardage co-owned High Plains Aviation with his son, Tim. He was a member of Plainview Noon Lions Club and helped organize the Plainview Fly-In and was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He also was president of the Plainview Chamber of Commerce. In 1992, he was named to the Wayland Athletic Hall of Honor for his accomplishments while participating in and coaching track. He was a member of First Baptist Church. He married Nell Mayfield in Plainview on Oct. 4, 2003. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Cindy Bessire and husband Todd of Muleshoe, Sandi Enloe and husband Brad of Plano and Kasey Kliegl and husband John of West Des Moines, Iowa; one son, Tim Hardage and wife Stacie of Plainview; one brother, Wayne Hardage and wife Ginger of Vernon; and 10 grandchildren. His parents and two sisters, Dortha Mason and Olieta Hardage, are deceased. Memorials may be made to Hardage Family Scholarship, Office of Advancement CMB 621, Wayland Baptist University, 1900 W. Seventh St., Plainview, TX 79072.