Robert Francis Hardin—Bob to friends, Bobby to his mother, and forever “Daddio” to his girls—went home to the Lord on November 18, 2025, at the age of 77. He spent the second half of his life proving that God really does turn ashes into beauty, and he did it with a “Howdy doody!”, a hug, and a story that somehow always pointed to Jesus.
Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, Bob moved to Texas as a young child and carried that easy Texas warmth wherever he went. After high school, he served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era, stationed in both Vietnam and Turkey, quietly deciphering Morse code by night and learning, over time, to listen for the still, small voice of God.
Faith surrounded him growing up, but it wasn’t until his fifties that Bob met Jesus in a way that changed everything. From that moment on, he became the prodigal who never stopped running back to the Father—and who spent every day after, waving others down the same road home. His quiet return brought his family and many others to the Lord, and that remains the proudest chapter he ever wrote.
Bob was gentle, affectionate, and gloriously goofy. He greeted the world with “Howdy doody!”, called his daughter Kami “Kami Whammy,” and could spin a simple trip to the store into a ten-minute epic that left everyone laughing and somehow feeling lighter. He loved Bible study and Bible trivia (he usually won), painting, photography, cooking for anyone who looked hungry, and nature in all its ordinary glory. Above all, he loved people. His church family at Patuxent Presbyterian Church and his neighbors at Victory Woods Senior Apartments became the big, loud, chosen family he cherished.
When storms came—and they came—Bob didn’t always have the perfect words. He would just sit close and start rambling about anything and everything: the weather, a recipe, a bird on the feeder, the price of gas. But the sound of his voice and the simple fact that he was there turned chaos into calm every single time.
He is survived by the people he loved best: his daughters, Diondria (Kristina) Ingram and Kami (Kami Whammy) Bacon; his grandson, Estafa Khalil Anderson, who brought him endless joy; and his brother, Joseph Hardin. He was preceded in death by his parents, by his former wife Sandra Hardin (the mother of his children), and by the woman he called his soul mate, Christy Smoot, the one he never got to marry before the Lord called her home first.
Bob asked that his service be a celebration, that the gospel be preached plainly, and that anyone who doesn’t yet know the Savior be given a clear invitation to come forward. Consider this his last “Howdy doody” and his open door.
A celebratory service of resurrection will be held at Patuxent Presbyterian Church at 1 pm on December 20th, 2025. The service will be followed by a reception. Military honors and interment will be held at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 2:30 pm.
In remembrance, do what Bob would do: feed somebody, listen without judging, tell a long story with a twinkle in your eye, and point them gently to Jesus.
We love you, Daddio. Save us a seat at the feast.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A., Charlotte Hall, MD.
