Harold James Hardcastle, 93, passed away on Wednesday April 9, 2025, in Crowell, Texas.
Memorial services will be held Monday April 14, 2025, at 2:00pm at the First Methodist Church of Vernon, with Rev. Anthony Inman and Mr. Matt Homeyer officiating under the direction of Sullivan Funeral Home.
Harold James Hardcastle was born August 18, 1931, in Wheeler, Texas to Verna Bailey and Joe Smith Hardcastle. Harold attended Wheeler school and graduated in 1949. In 1949 he married Patsy Ruth Noah in Wheeler, and they moved to College Station, Texas where Harold attended Texas A&M University. He completed a degree in Entomology in 1953. Upon graduation he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He was on active duty from 1953 to 1956, stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia and San Antonio, Texas as a First Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps.
Harold and Patsy (Pat) had three children: Melinda, Richard (Rick), and Philip. After leaving the army, Harold worked as a sales representative for Stauffer Agricultural Chemicals Company in Sherman, Texas. He and his family moved to Vernon, Texas in 1962. In 1964, Harold started an aerial spraying business in Lockett, Texas as an independent contractor for American Dusting Company. By 1974, he was the sole owner of the business, and he changed its name to Hardcastle Ag Air, Inc. and established a second location in Altus, Oklahoma. Harold’s son Rick became a partner in the business, and it continued to flourish until it was sold to Terra Chemical Inc. in 1997. Harold and Rick formed Rolling H Cattle Company and bought a ranch on Red River north of Chillicothe, Texas. They operated the ranch until Harold’s retirement in 2010.
Harold served as president of both the Texas Association and the National Association of Aerial Applicators. He was president of the Vernon Rotary Club and a member of Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association. He was a member of the First Methodist Church and served as a member of many committees and as chairman of the administrative board, the finance committee and the personnel committee. He taught a young adult Sunday school class for ten years. He was a member of the board of directors of Vernon Independent School district for six years.
Harold’s wife Pat died in 1995. In 1999, at a Wheeler school reunion. He became reacquainted with a former classmate of his and Pat’s- Dr. Peggy Jo Pletcher of Boise, Idaho. Harold and Peggy were married in 2000 in Vernon, Texas.
Harold was preceded in death by his parents, his stepmother Ora Hardcastle, his first wife Pat, a granddaughter Cayce Hardcastle and a stepson Robert Pletcher. His brother Gary Hardcastle. He is survived by his wife Peggy: a daughter Melinda Graf and husband Terry of Georgetown, Texas: two sons Rick Hardcastle and wife Nancy of Vernon, Texas and Philip Hardcastle and wife Andrea of San Miguel, Mexico: two stepsons George Pletcher and wife Carla of Boise, Idaho and David Pletcher and wife Danica of Seattle, Washington: one sister Jo Ann Standlee of Grapevine, Texas: two brothers Dr. Donald Hardcastle and wife Dana of Waco, Texas, Danny Hardcastle and wife Ravonda, of Wheeler, Texas and sister in-law Becky Hardcastle of Wheeler, Texas. Other survivors include grandchildren Christie Lehman and husband Justin, Amy Graf, Aaron Graf and wife Liz, Kelley Homeyer and husband Matt, Morgan Hardcastle and Ria Johnston and husband Kyle: ten step grandchildren and six great- grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Monday, April 14, 2025 at 1pm at the First Methodist Church of Vernon, Texas.
Memorials may be made to the Cayce Lynn Hardcastle Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Waggoner National Bank, or to the First Methodist Church of Vernon.
