Howard “Hardy” Hardeman Doyle
1939 – 2023
Among the many highlights of his life, Hardy’s greatest joys were being a companion to his wife, Barbara, and deeply caring for each person he met during his time on earth. Howard Hardeman “Hardy” Doyle, died on March 1, 2023. He was 84.
Hardy was born to Howard James “Danny” Doyle and Leonora Virginia Hardeman in Elk City, Oklahoma on Feb 25, 1939. His father a player for the Boston Red Sox, Hardy moved around during his childhood, ultimately graduating from Stillwater High School. Young, carefree, and raised by the wild Oklahoma backroads, Hardy loved riding in his brother Tom’s Chevy.
Despite not meeting each other until their 60s, Hardy’s childhood was marked by the oscillating presence of the love of his life Barbara Doyle, whose childhood home was only three blocks away from his own. With an abundance of mutual acquaintances, life’s path led them to find one another in New Mexico, where Hardy and Barbara’s shared history formed the basis of their relationship. Cheerful and easy to talk to, Hardy and Barbara bonded quickly, and the couple married on April 4, 2004, at 4 pm in Santa Fe.
A graduate of OU, Hardy studied Marketing and Journalism. With two friends he opened Adsociates Inc., a successful advertising company where Hardy’s creativity and way with words shone through every account he managed. Major accounts for the business included Braun’s, Allied Van Airlines, and OG&E, and the business was honored with multiple Addy awards. Later in life, Hardy earned a graduate degree in Mythology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
Hardy was drawn to write stories about people and the myths they live by. A relative of Arthur Conan Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes, Hardy loved reading everything from old detective novels to Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. Truly a student of life, in his free time he enjoyed studying culture and society, cheering for the Sooners, Cowboys, and Thunder, and caring for his grandchildren Sammy and Sara, with whom he was especially bonded.
Later in life, Hardy retired from marketing and managed a family-run counseling practice with Barbara. A caring, giving man to his core, Hardy treasured his family and dedicated the later years of his life to his many relatives. Hardy is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughter Stacey Doyle-Singer, his granddaughter Chelsea Kielman, and 3 stepchildren and one recently deceased stepchild, 21 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service for Hardy will be held on March 25, 2023, at 9am at the Matthews Funeral Home Chapel. Hardy, we will always miss you as our strong, caring rock.
My sympathy to Hardy’s family. He was a warm, gentle man. I am so sorry to hear of his death! I am sure you all have great memories of his life. Warm yourselves with those memories! From Elizabeth Hinton
For so many years Hardy has blessed my life. It is hard for me even imagine life with out him. He indeed has been my rock alway loving and and selfless. Even on his last days he struggled to make my morning coffee. In the end he could hardly speak always loving and accepting. His favorite saying “love as a verb never fails.” He never failed. I was blessed to have him as my husband. ♥️
I learned some very interesting things about this man I only met briefly in the last several years but detected from the start his generous spirit. What a privilege to visit him just a month before he departed. Even then he seemed very alive and attentive to others rather than focused on himself. He apparently lived his favorite saying. “Love as a verb never fails.”
I am so glad for his bond with Sammy and Sarah and the gift they have been to each other.