DAVID HARDAWAY
David Phillip Hardaway was born in Imperial, Texas in October of 1947 to Carl Ernest Hardaway and Nina Slack Hardaway. He died in November of 2020 in Minden, Louisiana.
He is survived by his wife, Martha Lenamon; two sons – Mackenzie Clark Hardaway and David Jones (Jay) Hardaway (Lindsay); four grandchildren – Lucy, Claire, Nellie Cate and Henry Hardaway; a brother, Lieutenant Colonel John A. Hardaway (Virginia); and a niece and nephew, Carl Hardaway and Julie Hardaway Galea.
He was preceded in death by his parents and beloved brother Donny Hardaway.
These are the facts of David Hardaway’s life, but like the historical figures he studied and admired, simply stating these facts does nothing to sum up the life of a beloved father, husband, son, brother, classmate and friend.
David spent his early years in the oil towns that dotted West Texas: Snyder, Seminole, Andrews, Olney, and finally Albany. David’s seventh grade year in Albany began a lifelong love of that community, its history and its people.
At Albany High School, David was on the football, baseball, golf and tennis teams, and served in the student government. He participated in the Fandangle and the Nativity and worked on the construction crew that helped build the Fandangle Amphitheater.
David received a BA in History from Texas Tech University and a JD from the University of Houston School of Law. He practiced law in Houston, Albany (including two terms as County Attorney) and Abilene, where he also served as president of the Abilene Fine Arts Museum (now the Grace Museum) and on the board of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
In 1988, he moved to DFW to continue the practice of law, and married Martha Lenamon, an Albany High classmate. They eventually moved to Austin, where David worked for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission before retiring.
He and Martha then moved to Shongaloo, Louisiana, where David’s parents maintained a family farm and timber operation that their son Mackenzie helped them manage.
David was sustained in his life by his multiple families, his long-time friends and classmates, his beloved Methodist church, and his many passions: books, the Civil War, the Old West, dogs, sports (especially the Red Raiders), the outdoors, the oil and gas industry, music, movies, and above all, everything about his home state.
His knowledge of Texas was vast, spanning history, literature, geography and beyond. He seemed to know the story of everything and everyone.
For his family and friends, it was his willingness and ability to explain these things to others, and the obvious joy and patience he took in doing so that they will treasure.
They recall many happy hours spent discussing ranches around Albany, the development of the oil industry in Texas, and the filming of The Last Picture Show – all noted in perfect detail. While his family knows that they can carry this knowledge with them always, they will forever miss hearing his voice describing the things he loved to the people he loved.
His family and friends will honor him with a small graveside service at the Albany Cemetery on Nov. 16 at 2:00 p.m., with plans for an additional celebration of his life at Albany High School’s 2021 Homecoming festivities.
In lieu of flowers, David’s family asks that memorial gifts be made to either the Robert Nail Scholarship Fund or the Friends of Fort Griffin.
Arrangements are with Girdner Funeral Home, Abilene, Texas. PD
