Published: August 26, 2008 09:31 am      

Norman F. ‘Stoney’ Hardcastle

Norman F. “Stoney” Hardcastle, 88, of Wilburton, died Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Wilburton with the Rev. Doug Miller officiating. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery in Hartshorne. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Waldrop Funeral Home of Wilburton.

Born July 13, 1920, in Ozark, Ark., he was the son of Robert and Martha (Kirk) Hardcastle. He was known as a teacher, author and storyteller. He enjoyed time with family and friends, especially his times at Eufaula Lake. He loved writing and traveling and his Sunday School class.

He attended Whitefield and Stigler Schools. He continued his education at Parkview in Muskogee and the University of Tulsa, University of Oklahoma, and Colorado State University. He was a member of the Lion’s Club, Oklahoma Federated Writers Association, and the First Baptist Church.

He married Mary “Sue” Lewis on Aug. 1, 1943.

Survivors include his wife, Sue, of the home; son, Robert Hardcastle, Woodlawn, Colo.; daughter, Betty (Hardcastle) McAfee and husband, Bruce, of Muskogee; four grandchildren, Mark and Summer Hardcastle, Nixa, Mo., Britta (McAfee) and Michael Thrift, of Oklahoma City, Blaire (McAfee) and Kevin O’Brien, St. Louis, and Bethany McAfee, of Tulsa.

Also, two great-grandchildren, Austin Hardcastle and Hannah O’Brien; three sisters, Mamie Patterson, Opal Hopson, and Alma Barnes, all of Tulsa, and two brothers, Ralph Hardcastle, of Oklahoma City, and Frank “Buddy” Hardcastle, Amarillo, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Martha (Kirk) Hardcastle; one sister, Helen (Hardcastle) Stephenson, and a half brother, Raymond Hardcastle.

Pallbearers will be Terry Stephenson, Jim Barnes, Jerry Barnes, Bruce McAfee, Charles White, and Charlie Lloyd.

Honorary pallbearers will be his Sunday School class and the Lion’s Club.