Bob Hartley, my friend

I have had the great fortune to represent the Mississippi State family on many occasions. I'm not so sure that this may not be the most difficult assignment I have ever had to undertake. But then, I'm not representing Mississippi State. I'm representing Jean and my three adopted sisters: Pam, Pat, and Peg.

Robert M. "Bob" Hartley 1920-1997

We thank each of you for the many kind thoughts, concerns, and prayers during the past several days. But, really, when you represent the Hartley family, you're representing Mississippi State.

There are a lot of folks who deserve this opportunity to share a bright moment of Bob Hartley's special touch.

There are a lot of folks in this church today who could do a better job. There is probably at least one on each row who could share in a special way the touch "Hart" has shared with them.

This isn't an easy day, because this state, this community, this university, this church, and this family has lost our Hart. You could spell it h-e-a-r-t, but I'd rather spell it H-a-r-t.

We all have great memories. Hart never met a person who couldn't be his friend.

There are a lot of young guys in this church today, and for that matter, all across college athletics, who he considered his own.

You see, he took a youngster in high school, tutored him, trained him, and moved him through the ranks to become his athletic director.

It made no difference to Hart if you were an All-American quarterback from Greenwood who would become Mr. MSU or a black kid from Leland who would call him Dad.

Or whether you were a scholar from Vanderbilt who he would teach to love Mississippi State or a young guy from Reform, Alabama, who would seek his advice on his climb to become the athletic director at Auburn.

Or whether you were a radio salesman from Clarksdale who would become the best play-by-play announcer in the College Football Hall of Fame.

It made no difference if you were a sportswriter for a tiny newspaper in small-town Mississippi or the lead broadcaster for CBS Sports. Hart touched us all with that special love as only he could do.

In Philippians 2:2-3, Paul says, "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourself."

My friends, that is pure Bob Hartley.

Everybody was special to Mr. Bob. Gosh, did he love people! He cherished those relationships as much as we did.

One of my fondest memories will be of my last visit with him. On Monday, he came by my office with his checklist. After going through three items that were important to him (my thoughts on next week's Quarterback Club speaker . . . a former sports editor wanted tickets to Saturday's game . . . ideas he had about the football reunion of the '40s team), he got up to leave, and with that warm, sparkling smile, he said, "Thanks for letting me be a part."

I knew that the things we had discussed were important to him, but that wasn't the reason he had come by. It never was. He came by to check on his boy, his athletic director. He knew the pressures of opening game week.

Early this morning before the sun came up, I went to his office. Among all the boxes, all the files, all the old pictures and tickets, was his checklist of things he wanted to get done this week. All of them had been checked off, including two words: "Check Larry."

We will walk out of this church this morning with our heads held high and a smile on our face because we know our friend is smiling this morning as he shows St. Peter his new checklist at the gates of Heaven. You can bet he has our names and he's telling St. Peter about the Bulldogs.

My best friend ran the great race of life. He won the most important victory. His family knows there is a smile on his face.

[see obituary]