Cora Harden

Cora Ann (Cay) Harden, from Oakley, KS., passed away on March 5, 2022, at the age of 93. Cay was born on March 8, 1928, in Amarillo, TX to Mina and Walter Yeager. She lived in Phoenix, AZ until the age of seven, with her four sisters and one brother, when their father died in an auto accident. After his death, her mother and siblings moved to Ashland, Kansas.


She graduated from Ashland High School and in July 1946, married Clarence James (C.J.) Harden Jr., from Protection, KS. After they were married, they moved to the Oakley area and raised their four children, living in the early years, on the Smoky River Ranch and eventually moving into Oakley.


Cay dedicated her life to being a farmer’s wife, a wonderful mother, and a friend to many people. She worked at the Farm Bureau office in Oakley as her children got older. She was a member of the United Christian Church and involved in Chapter EX of PEO for 66 years.


Cay was always very organized, timely, and excelled at cooking and entertaining, she enjoyed bridge and other card games with C.J., her family, and friends. And she loved reading and followed world news and politics fiercely. When she traveled, she loved to take the car, and in fact, when Cay would visit her children and grandchildren living out of state, she would usually drive rather than enjoy the ease of flying, regardless of the distance or hours it took.


She did the best she knew how in every aspect of their life, in good times and difficult times. Cay had a wonderful sense of humor and one of her favorite toasts was, “Here’s to hard luck, poor judgement, bad decisions, but what the hell. Cheers!”


Cay was preceded in death by her husband, C.J., her parents, her brother, three sisters, and her grandson, Clarence James (Jay) Harden IV. She is survived by her four children, Pamela Gladden (Tony) of Sherwood, AR., Mina Peterson in Bellevue, WA., Anita Moore (Mike) in Wichita, KS., and Jim Harden (Jill) in Cypress, TX., nine grandchildren, and seventeen great grandchildren. Cay loved her family and her home, and we will miss her greatly.


The family is planning a graveside service at the Oakley City Cemetery on Saturday, May 28, 2022, (Memorial Day weekend) at 10:00 am. Friends are invited to join the family after the service to celebrate her life at the Buffalo Bill Cultural Arts Center, from 11:00 to 3:00, in Oakley. The family requests that in lieu of flowers a donation to the American Cancer Society.