Obituary of Velma Hardester

Velma Florene (Gale) Hardester was born in Licking, Missouri on March15, 1955 to Artis Lee Gale and Mary Josephine (Hall) Gale. She came out half grown at 13 pounds. Dr. BJ Myers said he was going to enroll her in school the next day. Velma was the baby of the family for 30 years and then she passed the status to her baby brother, Matthew and then her little sister, Sarah. Velma passed away March 21, 2015 at the age of 60. Velma was united in marriage to Ronald Wayne Hardester on August 20, 1976 in Beulah, Missouri. Together they welcomed their little bundle of sunshine, Mary Jo Hardester into their hearts. She was preceded in death by her father, Artis Lee and her mother, Mary Josephine Gale; her husband, Ronald Wayne Hardester; her daughter Mary Jo Hardester Melton and her step-son, Little Ronnie; her brothers, Denny and Junior Lee Gale; and her brothers- in-law, Walt Ingle and Jessie James. She is survived by her grandsons, the three loves of her life, Anthony Saxton, Seth Riley, and Aden Wayne Melton, she called them her boys. She is also survived by her son-in-law Alfred Melton, her step mother, Judy Gale; as well as her sisters and brothers: Christine Karnes and her husband Dean; Rosie Ingle; Jolene Tuner and her husband Doug; Sharon James; Donetta James and her husband Frank; Dorothy Bates and her husband Kenneth; Sam and his wife Judy who was one of Velma's BFF's for the past 45 years; Tommy Ray; Mike and his wife Billye; Benji and his wife Maybelle; Matthew and Brooke; and Sarah Bacon and her husband Randall. She will be greatly missed by a host of nieces and nephews. Velma's family was always her priority. She devoted her life to raising and caring for her daughter and grandsons. She was the perfect example of I John 3:18 which says love by actions not words. Velma loved babies; she was famous for pinching their checks. She enjoyed traveling, spending time with family and friends, and especially being involved in her daughter and her grandsons' lives.