Funeral service for Retired MAJ William Clifton Hardin, Sr., 87 of Killeen, TX will be held Friday, June 24, 2022, 11:30 a.m. at Chisolm's Family Funeral Home in Killeen, TX. Burial with full military honors will follow the service at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX.

Visitation will be held Thursday, June 23, 2022 (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.) at the funeral home.

Retired MAJ William Clifton (Bill) Hardin, Sr., a veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Killeen, passed away on June 12, 2022, surrounded by family. Bill was born on January 8, 1935, in Calhoun County, South Carolina, near the town of St. Matthews. He was the fourth child of five born to Charlie Harden, Sr. and Blanche Bostic Harden. He accepted Christ early in life, and as a teenager joined the First Baptist Church in St. Matthews.

Bill attended public schools in St. Matthews and graduated from John Ford High School in 1952. Shortly after graduating, he enlisted in the United States Army, and was serving in Korea when the Korean War ended in July of 1953.

After being discharged from the Army in 1955, he enrolled at South Carolina State College, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960. This is where he met his wife of almost 52 years, Sadie Carter. After graduating, Bill was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. He returned to active duty in the Army in May of 1961, after teaching for one year.

Bill's military career would take him and his family around the United States and the world. This included Korea; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Dix, New Jersey; Orleans, France; Bandung and Jakarta, Indonesia; Okinawa, Japan; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Irwin, California.

Bill had numerous assignments during his military career. Some of these include platoon leader, company commander in engineer construction battalions, instructor for the U.S. Army Engineer School, operations officer of an engineer airborne battalion, engineer staff officer, advisor to the commander general of the Indonesian Army Training Command, special action forces coordinator, logistic officer, and engineer battalion executive officer. In addition, he graduated from Engineer Officers Basic and Advance Courses, Department of Defense Management School, Indonesian Army Airborne School, and Jungle Warfare School.

Bill proudly served in the United States Army for 27 years and retired in 1983. During his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and other awards and honors throughout his distinguished military career.

After retirement, he served as a training management instructor/facilitator at Central Texas College. Later, as an independent contractor, he performed quality control inspections for several companies for the Army Corps of Engineer projects. After that, Bill was an independent quality assurance inspector for several buildings at Tarleton State University, and then superintendent for a safety laboratory at Fort Hood. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post 9191, and an avid gardener, hunter, and fisherman. He was very kind and generous, always supporting and helping his family and friends, when needed.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brothers, and sisters. To cherish his memories, he leaves his children, Patrick Hardin, William Hardin, Jr., Anita Johnson, and Sylvia Hardin-Brown; five grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.