Sept. 25, 1976– Oct. 19, 2025
On the afternoon of October 19, 2025, our beloved Susan Michele Parsons-Hardin passed away peacefully at her home in Bessie, Oklahoma. Michele was 49 years old. Michele was born to Norman John Parsons and Sandra Sue Heins in Borger, Texas, on September 25, 1976. On July 4th, 1998, Michele married her childhood friend, Darrel Benjamin “BJ” Hardin. Though the two were never able to have their own children, Michele lived motherhood through her brother-in-law, Cameron Cupp, sister-in-law, Chelsey Hardin, nieces and nephews, Coral and Asher Hardin, Kali and Morrigan Henderson, Persephone, Brayden, and Damon Davidson, and the children of one of her dearest friends, Kelly Maddox-Tilley, Kaylie Maddox, and Talon Tilley.
Michele graduated from Cordell High School and attended some college at Southwestern Oklahoma University. Though she never completed a degree, her desire to learn and share what she learned with those she loved never ceased. She was an avid learner of all things, things you’d never even heard of before she told you about them. Michele loved space and would watch videos, read, and learn as much as she could about the world around us. Michele was especially fond of Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Among her passions for learning, Michele had a fiery passion for many other things, such as OU football and other sports, as well as her deep love for her animals — any animal that lived or breathed, she loved. She had a special affinity for snakes, horses, spiders, and cats. She also loved sailboats, which was linked to the love she had for her father. Michele was a tremendous cook before her disability took that ability from her — and she had a passion for feeding those she loved. The memories of her recipes are still talked about often. Shopping was one of her more impressive passions, as she was one of the best shoppers who ever walked the Earth. She had a collection of t-shirts for every type of mood: sarcastic, funny, sweet, cute, and serious. She could barely leave the house if her outfits didn’t match right down to the colored pinstripes on a pair of shoes.
Another passion that brought out Michele’s true character and made those who love her flock to her was music. Listening to music with Michele was a vibrant experience, because she knew every word, and sang with an energy that lit up the entire room, even if you weren’t in the same room with her--you felt it. It was the same with watching movies; if it was a scary movie, her commentary was intense and exhilarating. If it were a comedy, her laugh was striking and boisterous and often created a chain reaction of laughter much bigger than the joke that had been told. Michele was fearless, stubborn, powerful, determined, bold, generous, passionate, intelligent, and outspoken. Michele will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Michele is preceded in death by her mother and father, her beloved nephew Joshua Hurst, her three dearest friends, Rachel Holt, Matt Robinson, and Keegan Hymer, and her two beloved cats, her fur-babies, Ivar and Floki.
She is survived by her cherished husband BJ, her siblings Lorrie Rodriguez and Joe, of Los Fresno, Texas, Rhonda Parsons-Langford, of Cordell, Oklahoma, and Manny Parsons and Sheri, of Cordell, Oklahoma, her nieces and nephews, Sam, Christina, Laura, Johnny, Kylie, Brayden H., Danny Joe, Brittin, Gabbie, Coral, Asher, Damon, Brayden D., Kali, Morrigan, Persephone, and host of great-nieces and nephews, her living fur-babies, and her lifelong best friends Kelly Maddox-Tilley and Jarrod Denton.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.”