Palestine High School Alumni Association

Services for Larry Elder Hardgrave, 60, Athens will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Rope, Catch and Ride for Christ Cowboy Church in Mabank with the Rev. Erick Graham, the Rev. Mike Drinkard, the Rev. Charles Grasty and the Rev. Perry Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Shelby Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home in Athens.

Mr. Hardgrave died Tuesday in Athens.

He was born Oct. 7, 1950 in Palestine to the late Homer Elder and Mary Viola Thompson Hardgrave. He was a 1969 graduate of Palestine High School and had resided in Athens 10 years.

Mr. Hardgrave had served as pastor of Rope, Catch and Ride for Christ Cowboy Church in Mabank the past four years.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Vivian Reever Hardgrave of Athens; sons, Chad Elder Hardgrave and wife Erin of Athens, Andy Cornelius and wife Shannon of Bradford; daughters, Tobie Herrington and husband Mike of Athens, Erin Ludtke of Palestine, Mary Beth Retamoza and husband Ernie of Ocala, Fla.; brother, Thomas Melville Hardgrave and wife Carol of San Antonio; sister, Susan K. Ingram and husband Leonard of Elgin; grandchildren, Chase Ludtke, Christopher Herrington, Delaney Herrington, Kaitlyn Cornelius, Kylee Cornelius, Kinsey Cornelius, Greyson Elder Hardgrave, Timothy Retamoza, Matthew Retamoza; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Visitation for family and friends will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, family requests donations be made to Rope, Catch and Ride for Christ Cowboy Church, 570 VZCR 2807, Mabank, Texas 75147.