Forrest Marion Hardacre

Forrest Marion “Frosty” Hardacre

Frosty Hardacre was born July 1, 1915 in rural Smith County Kansas.  He was the second child of Fredrick and Faith Jane Mead Hardacre. Frosty joined his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 7, 2011 at Olathe Medical Center. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Wilda Bowman; his brother Roger Hardacre; his first wife Cleta Young Hardacre; his second wife, Margaret Charles Cochran Hardacre; and a step-daughter, Carol Ann Cochran Brown.
He is survived by his son Mick Hardacre and wife Carrie, Wichita; his son Rick Hardacre, Newton; his step-daughter, Cathy Cochran Wilcox and husband Howard, Olathe; his step-son Chuck Cochran and his wife Sharon, Denver, CO; his step-son Curt Cochran, Lakewood, CO; 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.  

Frosty attended a country school though the 8th grade and then attended high school in Smith Center, Kansas where he excelled in track and football.  He continued his football and track career, playing for the University of Kansas on scholarship. He lettered in both sports which earned him membership into the K-Club.  At KU, one of his coaches was the legendary Phog Allen and his stories of those times were priceless.  He was also active in Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned his B.S.Ed.

Frosty entered the Navy on May 6, 1943 and served in Shanghai for three years as a Harbor Master. He also served as cargo officer on a liberty ship and was at the Battle of Midway.
Frosty married Cleta Young and began a career of coaching and teaching high school in Ness City, Smith Center, Junction City, Hutchinson and McPherson College. He taught industrial arts and physical education and coached in these locations.  In Hutchinson he also owned and operated a Zesto which was very popular for a 5 cent ice cream cone treat.

Frosty earned his master’s degree in computer drafting at Colorado State University.
In 1970, Frosty married Margaret Charles Cochran and they lived in suburban Denver, Colorado where Frosty taught school in Jefferson County at Bear Creek High School.  In Colorado, Frosty was active at Bear Creek Evangelical Presbyterian Church, serving as a church elder, and he especially loved kid’s activities at Vacation Bible School and Kid’s Club.  He was a member of the Lakewood Elks Club, and Optimist International of Bear Valley.  He organized and started Tri-State Basketball for the Bear Valley Optimist Club, and served as president of the Denver Sigma Chi Alumni.  Following his retirement, Frosty continued to substitute in the high school for a number of years.

In 2002, Frosty and Margaret moved to Hays, KS for one year, and then to the Kansas City area in 2003.  Their church home there was First Presbyterian Church in Olathe.  Following Margaret’s death in 2009, Frosty moved to Good Samaritan Olathe where he resided until his passing.
Frosty loved church activities, family reunions, golfing, dancing, back-packing, walking and flower gardening.  He also loved woodworking and home repair. He was a true “people-person” and his motto was to be kind and loving, and willing to help people whenever possible.
Always loving, supportive and positive, Frosty will be missed by all his relatives and friends.  His spiritual life was rich and his faith was strong.  His family is comforted by the knowledge that he is dwelling in the House of our Lord.

A memorial service will be held in Firestone Chapel at Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe, Leawood, KS on Friday, August 12th at 10:00 am; visitation will be held at Hays Memorial Chapel, 20th & Pine, Hays, KS on Friday at 6:00 pm.  Burial will be held at Dighton Memorial Cemetery, Dighton, KS on Saturday morning at 10 am.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Good Samaritan Olathe, 20705 W. 151st St., Olathe, KS 66061or to the Alzheimer’s Association in his memory.