William Joe Hacker, Jr., was born May 26, 1930, in Ada, Oklahoma.  He attended elementary schools in the county areas near Okmulgee, OK, where both of his parents taught, and graduated from Muskogee Central High School.  During these years, he sang commercials for the local radio station, one of three jobs he held to support his longing to take flying lessons.  At this same age, he was already passionate about spreading the Christian Gospel, and began his preaching career in Wainwright, OK, near Muskogee.

Joe spent four years in the Navy, joining at age 18, and trained in electronics school to serve as radio control aboard the USS Navasota in the Korean War. While in the Navy, he made the decision to give his life to preaching and teaching the Bible, even holding Bible lessons on board the ship.

After discharge from the Navy, Joe and his new wife, Joan Benson Hacker, moved to Searcy. Arkansas for him to study Bible at Harding College, where he earned a BA, and was one of the first to receive a Master’s Degree in Bible from Harding.  He then obtained a second Masters Degree, and a Doctoral Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Upon receiving his PhD, Dr. Hacker was asked to return to Harding College as Chair for the Bible Department. He remained there for the next 12 years, taking many students abroad to Europe for Christian Campaigns, and designing an undergraduate curriculum for Bible Majors that has remained as the core influence for Harding University’s Bible Major to date.

He served as President for Lubbock Christian College from 1974-1976; worked in Development for Freed Hardeman University from 1976-1978; was administrator of Ouachita Christian School in Monroe, Louisiana, from 1978-1981.  He was the full-time preacher for Sunset Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas, and Director of Education for Richland Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas.  He preached for Owens Cross Roads Church of Christ in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama and taught interns and regular Bible classes at Central Church of Christ, Huntsville, Alabama.  He taught adjunct Bible courses for Faulkner University in Huntsville, Al; and held meetings and workshops in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico.

He is survived by wife, Joan Benson Hacker; children, Tim Hacker, Denise Hacker-Woody, Carol Cameron, and Cathy Hacker; grandchildren, Joshua Hogins, Laura Hacker-Wright, Karina Stelk, Joe Hacker, Jonathan Hogins, James Cameron, Laurel Cameron, and Noah Hernbeck; Great Grandchildren, Lucian Stelk, Jackson Stelk, Evelyn Stelk, Nigel Hacker-Wright, and Blaise Hacker-Wright.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Memory of Dr. W. Joe Hacker, Jr., to the Alzheimer’s Dementia Project, Harding University Advancement, Box 12238, Searcy AR  72149-5615.

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