Defford Dale Hardee, Sr.

Mr. Defford Dale Hardee, Sr., age 78, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee, passed away Monday, July 6, 2020 at Maury Regional Medical Center.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2020, at 2PM at Parkway Baptist Church with Bro. Mike Roberts officiating. A visitation will also be held on Thursday from 1-2 PM at the church. A graveside service will be held on Sunday, July 12th at 3PM EST at Tirzah ARP Cemetery in York, South Carolina. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Affectionately known as “Dadoo” by his family, Defford was born on May 11, 1942. He came from a large family and was the youngest of twelve children to the late William Mayo Hardee and the late Attie Arjane Cox Hardee. He was proud of being an eleventh-generation descendant of The Mayflower. An exceedingly kind, God-fearing man, Defford was a faithful member of Woodland Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, Creedmoor Baptist Church in Creedmoor, North Carolina, and most recently, attended Parkway Baptist Church in Columbia, TN. Although he battled some pretty severe health issues over the years, he rarely let that keep him from attending church. He set a good example of how to love his wife, Jayne Annette Carroll Hardee, who he cared for over seven years after she developed early onset Alzheimer’s disease. She preceded him in death in 2010. Defford was a wonderful father to his son, Dale, his wife, Debbie, and grandfather to his grandchildren, Tyler and Allison.

He was an honorary Kentucky Colonel who enjoyed woodworking and collecting Kentucky Derby glasses and coins. In his younger days, he loved to go to flea markets and antiquing. Defford was a kind, humble, soft spoken and loving gentle giant who will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his son and daughter in law, Dale and Debbie Hardee of Columbia, TN; grandchildren: Christian Tyler Hardee of Nashville, TN, Allison Brooke Hardee of Nashville, TN; and sisters: Carolyn Edwards of Rock Hill, SC, and Doris Piver of Loris, SC.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings: John Watis Hardee, Avery Hardee, Shelton Hardee, Iris Sarvis, Elga Russ, William Joyce Hardee, Mary Fipps, Leatis Smith and Vela Wood.

Pallbearers will be: Tyler Hardee, Allen Hoffman, Jimmy Hydrick, Carroll Boulware, Miller Hoffman, and Landon Hoffman. Honorary pallbearers will be Howard Wynn, Pastor James Shelley, John Flick, Jean Daugherty, and Ray and Lanna Boulware.

Memorial donations may be made to the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation: 4573 South Broad Street, Suite 150 Yardville, NJ 08620.