Brenda Saunders Hardin

Brenda Hardin, 81, of Huntsville, Alabama, and former long-time resident of Hopkinsville and Cadiz, Kentucky, passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Huntsville Hospital after a short illness.

A native of Godwin, North Carolina, Brenda was born August 10, 1942, to the late Thomas Otey Saunders and the late Ella Louise Holland Saunders.

In addition to her parents, Brenda was preceded in death by her first husband, and father of her two daughters, Grady Eugene McMillan; and her late husband, John O. Hardin, III; and stepson, Henry Patrick Hardin.

Survivors include her daughters, Cheri McMillan McKechnie (Tim), and Angela McMillan Hattaway (special friend, Alex Perkins), both of Huntsville, Alabama; daughter-in-law, Laura Webb (Tim) of Pennsylvania; stepson, John O. Hardin, IV (Patricia) of Seattle, Washington; and six grandchildren, Matthew and Mason McKechnie of Florida, Hannah Hattaway (fiancé Nick Diller), Alex Hattaway, all of Nashville, Tennessee, Quinn Hattaway Short (William) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Ben Hardin, of Pennsylvania.  She is further survived by her sister, Pattie Horne (Lloyd) of Fayetteville, NC; brother, Thomas A. Saunders of Godwin, NC; and sister-in-law Yvonne Harralson of Florida.  She is also survived by nephews, Lloyd Horne, Jr. (Jodie), Kevin Horne (Nancy); niece, April Horne Obin (Matt); great-nephews, Zachary Horne, Hunter Horne, Peyton Obin and great-nieces, Avery Horne, and Hailey Horne.

Brenda graduated from Central High School in Eastover, NC in 1960.  She also graduated from Campbell University and received her master’s degree in education from Austin Peay State University.  Brenda served her community as an elementary school teacher with the Department of Defense Education Activity and Fort Campbell Schools for 42+ years. Her heart held a special place not only for the many students she taught, but also for her fellow educators with whom she developed close friendships that lasted throughout her life.  

Brenda enjoyed spending countless hours on Lake Barkley and Lake Guntersville with friends and family.  She loved entertaining and opening her home in Cadiz, KY for countless BBQs, parties, and gatherings. Upon retirement, Brenda pursued her love of travel and visited multiple foreign countries.  In her last years, Brenda developed a passion for knitting hats which she donated to friends, family, and to organizations such as the Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children’s Breast Center and Rocket City Dialysis for both cancer and dialysis patients.

Brenda was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, aunt, great-aunt, and friend.  Her absence will be felt by the many people whose lives she touched.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Sullivan's Highland Chapel, 601 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC  28301 beginning at 1 p.m. and immediately followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at Lafayette Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Barkley Elementary School PTA in memory of Brenda Hardin, 177 Gorgas Avenue, Fort Campbell, KY 42223.

Link for Live Stream of service: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcxNzcxNjk0MDMxMjc4MSZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==