Judy Kay (Bass) Hardin September 16, 1955 ~ January 16, 2022 (age 66)

Obituary

A memorial service for Judy K. Hardin, 66, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., Feb. 5, 2022 at the Central Christian Church with Pastor Don Thomas officiating.  Betty Moore, Jaden Moore, Jason Moore, and Amelia Neal along with Mr. Macapinlac’s Office Staff and the Interim Home Health Care Workers have been named as honorary pallbearers.

Judy Kay Hardin was born Sept. 16, 1955, in Lubbock, TX to the home of Neva Jo (Phifer) and James Ed Bass, and died early on the morning of Jan. 16, 2022 in Clovis, NM.  As a child, Judy’s family moved several times, but were living in Dalhart, TX when she graduated from High School in 1973.  Shortly after graduation, on June 16, she was married to Tommy Ames.  The couple had two sons and a daughter together before divorcing in 1991.  Judy worked along with her parents in their Donut and Sweet Shop in Dalhart.  In 1983, the family moved to Russelville, AR.  While living there, Judy earned an Associate’s Degree in Secretarial Science from Capital City Business College in 1985.  Over the next several years she was employed for a time as a secretary for private contractors at the Nuclear Plant located there.  Later she did office work for the Salvation Army.

Following her divorce, Judy and her children moved to Portales, and in 1992 she was married to Bo Hardin.  Mr. Hardin eventually adopted her three children.  During their marriage, Judy was co-owner of Hardin Electric until 2017.  In addition to keeping books for their own business, from 1998 until 1999, she was employed at EMS District 3 in Clovis.  In addition to  her other responsibilities, Judy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Journalism from Eastern New Mexico University, graduating Suma Cum Laude in 1998.  In 1999, they moved to Ruidoso, where she owned and operated the Daylight Donut Shop from 2000 until 2007 when they returned to Portales.  In 2009, she began working as a payroll clerk for Southwest Cheese. And from 2011 until 2013 she was employed by Curry County in the Manager’s Office.  From 2016 until 2017, she and her husband were active as volunteers at the Clements Unit Prison Ministry in Amarillo.  She and Mr. Hardin divorced in 2018, and Judy moved to Amarillo.  While living there she was enrolled in a Chaplain’s Training Program through Liberty University, as well as working as a church secretary and receptionist.  In Sept. of 2021 due to her failing health, she moved back to Portales to live her final days with her daughter and son-in-law.

During these final months, her son-in-law’s mother, Betty Moore and her children, Jaden Moore, Jason Moore and Amelia Neal provided in home care for Judy to enable her daughter and son-in-law to continue to work.

Judy is survived by her children, Travis and Jennifer Hardin of Arab, AL, Nick and Rhea Hardin of Houston, TX, Melanie and Jeremy Neal of Portales, Jerrod and Jordan Hardin of Dallas, TX, Kevin Hardin of Portales and Amber and Matt Stokes of Turpin, OK; 18 grandchildren; two brothers, Jim Bass of Amarillo and Jerry Bass of Portales; and an aunt and uncle, Lavelle and Mary Phifer of Amarillo.  She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Joe Bass and an aunt and uncle, Junior and Rita Hardin.