380/ln Memory Ken Ard The Harding community was shocked on the evening of Nov. 1, 1982, by the report that Kenneth P. Ard, aged 20, a junior music major from Richardson, Texas, had been found dead in his room. Apparently, he had been practicing a scene from the approaching Homecoming musica l, "Ok lahoma! " that involved the use of ropes in this scene and inadvertently had died of strangulation . Kenneth was the son of Mr, and Mrs. James Ard of Ric hardson a nd the younger brother of Dennis Wayne Ard who had graduated the preceding May. Born June 24, 1962, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he had moved with hi s family to Richardson where he attended Dallas Christian School, graduating on May 28, 1980. When he enrolled at Harding in the fa ll of 1980, he planned to pursue a major in business, but his love of music prevailed and he changed his major to music. He was a member of Chorale, the Troubadours, and Chamber Singers. He was a member of the Sigma Tau Sigma men's social club, taking a very active part in club activities. He was a dedicated Christian who was active in church work. He possessed a warm, friendly personality and his life was characterized by happiness and seren ity. The Ard family wrote the fol - lowing letter to the " Harding family": "The investigation and autopsy report of Ken's death have been concluded. They support our first belief that his death, unusual in manner though it be, was accidental. This con~ elusion was based on our knowledge of Kenneth and the reports of all his close friends . This was confirmed by the invest igating officer and the evidence of the autopsy report made by the state of Arkansas. So those who have been discouraged regarding the nature of his death can find solace in that he did not violate his nature in causing sorrow or intentionally taking his life." The family continued, "Those of us who knew Kenneth know of his intense love of Harding University. He was not a person to cause grief or unhappiness in anyone's life. His years at Har· ding were full of activity and fill~ ed with a positive attitude about God, himself, and his peers. This outlook on life was enhanced. by those of his fellow students who knew and loved him and by .his professors who shared with him their understanding of God and of His world ." Members of the Chorale sang for his funeral conducted in the auditorium of the Waterview Church of Christ in Richardson. Participating in the funeral were Ken's father; Jack Evans, mayor of Dallas; Robert Oglesby, Waterview preacher; president Clifton l. Ganus, Jr.; and Dr. Clifton Ganus III, director of the Chorale.~ Eldon Biggs Eldon E. Biggs, aged 37, was killed in an automobile accident in Searcy on January 13, 1983. An electrician and electronics ser· viceman with the University, he was a native of Newport, having been born there on Sept. 27, 1945. He attended Newport schools until his family moved in 1958 to Bradford, Ark., where he was graduated from high schooL Biggs worked as a chemist second class at Granite City Steel in Granite City, Ill. ; as a corrector at Remington Rand office machines factory in Searcy; as produce manager and cashier at Bill's IGA supermarket in Searcy; and as a television repairman at Siler'S TV and Furniture in Bradford before joining the Harding maintenance stalf in July, 1978. His wife, Ina, and four daughters, Annette, Jamie, Lori and Michelle, make there home in Bradford, where Eldon was a member of the Bradford Jaycees for seven years. He also worked with the Girl Scouts of America for ten years and he was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church in Bradford. " He always made you smile and had a pleasant word for everyone," one student sa id of Biggs. This was also the sentiment of his- fellow workers and everyone else who met him or knew him. His fellow employees enjoyed his humor and his ability to keep others laughing. " The room where employees gathered for coffee break was always live1y when Eldon was there," they noted.~ Deanna Dandridge Cathy Deanna Dandridge, aged 19, a sophomore from Somerville, Tenn., died Aug. 11, 1982, at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birm· ingham following open heart surgery. This was supposed to have been the last of several operations, beginning at the age of nine months, to correct a con· genital heart defect. Funeral services were conducted Aug. 13 in the auditorium of the Somerville Church of Christ and burial was in Thyatira Cemetery in Tate County. Miss. A group of singers went from Harding for the funeral service. The family requested that memorials be made to the medical scholar· ship fund in care of the Somer~ ville congregation. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Dandridge, J r. , of Somerville, Deanna was born April 22, 1963, in Memphis, Tenn. She had attended Fayette Academy in Somerville where she had been a
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