Phyllis Denise Hardy

Born: 12/15/1950

Died: 09/06/2024 1925hrs

Phyllis had a turbulent family life growing up. Because of this she never wanted to have children because she thought she would be a bad mother. This is funny because she always loved taking care of children ever since I met her at A&M. And even in her dementia in her later years she would always focus on and try to mother and protect any children we were around. At GERV park one year a 5-year-old in the park that Phyllis always watched out for to make sure she was safe, came up and told me to “make her stop following me”.

Phyllis had an opportunity for a full 4-year scholarship to college out of High School, but her parents would not sign the papers to disclose their financial situation. She went to work for two years to get money for college & moved out of her parent’s house. While this sounds like a bad thing, if it had not happened, we would never have met, as she was two years older than me.

We met at Texas A&M under a large Live Oak tree on campus. A friend introduced us. After getting up the nerve to ask her on a date and then being turned down several times because she needed to work & study, I finally succeeded in taking her out. She is only the third person I have ever dated. We dated our Senior year and then we both went to Galveston Tx, me to Medical School & Phyllis to work in the Hospital Lab & then as a research assistant working on Interferon research.

At the end of my third year of Medical School Phyllis went to Trinity University in San Antonio, TX to get her Masters in Health Care Administration. While she was doing this I proposed to her twice. Found out it works better if you have a ring! She did say yes both times, but I am still confused what that first yes was about.

We were married in my Senior Year of Medical School. She made sure we paid for our own wedding. We had her cousin who was a Catholic Priest marry us in a garden wedding in Houston in AUGUST!

While in Medical School Phyllis taught me how to draw blood, start IV’s and picked my Residency site for me. Which is fortunate because I would never have become a Pediatric ICU doctor if she had not chosen Scott & White Hospital for me to do my Residency.

While in Temple, Tx she worked as an Assistant Nursing Home Administrator, an Assistant Medical Clinic Administrator, and then went to Ft Hood, Tx and became the Non-Appropriated Civilian Personnel Director. After 7-8 years at Ft Hood, she then decided to go to Law School in Houston. After a three-year long-distance relationship, she graduated Law School & came back to Temple, Tx and practiced Family Law for 7-8 years. She then closed down her practice & started substitute teaching and obtained her teaching certificate.

At this point in our lives, I became ill and had to retire early. She was my patient advocate and protector during those years.

Since 2012 we have lived in our little 17 ft. Travel Trailer 10 months a year. We came to love and develop “family” in Eagle Nest, NM and Alpine, Tx where we spent 5 months each.

We have been very fortunate to have family & support in both of those communities, in our home base of Temple/Belton, Tx., and from our long-term family and relatives. Too many to list without possibly leaving out someone.

I do have to mention Shelley & Mike and their extended family. Because of Phyllis, Shelley became like a granddaughter/daughter to us.

Phyllis developed Alzheimer’s in the last 8 years of her life and cancer in the last 5 months of her life. She passed away 09/06/2024 at 1744.

I was fortunate to find such a fiercely loyal best friend & mate. We were able to have 46+ wonderful years together.

Phyllis’s life was filled with purpose and because of her I became a much better person. She believed in giving of herself 100%. Because of her I became a Pediatric Intensive Care Physician, a Child Abuse Investigator, a Long-Term Care Pediatrician for Special Needs Children, and a Child Advocate.

Whenever she was asked who was in charge, she always pointed up.

When she passed away back to Jesus & God, I was in our small RV camper with her. My back was turned, and I suddenly felt the camper go empty. I turned to her, and she was no longer in her body, but she somehow was still with me and I was no longer sad.

The entire RV park was at my door in minutes to support me and honor her. Our “home” has been the camper for the 12 yrs, and everywhere it has been we have found great people to call friends & family.

These are the rules of life I learned living with Phyllis:

1. Give without strings. He gave us grace with no strings attached

2. Accept without measure. He will accept us with all of our sins as long as we accept Him.

3. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Due unto yourself, as you would do to your neighbor). And it is a very small world, and we are all neighbors

Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com.