Dr. Will A. "Sandy" Hadden, DVM

A memorial service for Dr. Will A. “Sandy” Hadden, DVM, 61, of Tyler, will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 2:00 PM at Grace Community Church with Pastor Doug Clark officiating. A private family burial will be held at Rose Lawn Cemetery under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Dr. Hadden passed away October 31, 2012 at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. Sandy left an incredible legacy of faith in Jesus Christ with full confidence in his future and eyes fixed on what is unseen, not what is seen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. He was raised in Odessa, to Will A. Jr., and Jean Godbey Hadden. He attended Odessa Permian and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas A&M University with a DVM in 1975. Dr. Hadden served three years in the US Army as post veterinarian at Ft. Ord in Monterey, CA. In February of 1978, Dr. Hadden moved to Tyler and began practicing veterinary medicine in private practice. He later opened the Gresham Veterinary Hospital in September of 1993. He and his high school sweetheart, Joy married in 1969. Sandy was an attending veterinarian and UTTHC for the past 15 years. Dr. Hadden enjoyed traveling, sports, fitness activities, fantasy football, coin collecting, reading, and Christian ministry. He particularly enjoyed gatherings with his family, especially his grandchildren, and friends, for a cook out in his outdoor kitchen. Dr. Hadden was very active in his professional career. Some of his achievements include, establishing the Equine Medical Center Laboratory in September 1993, past President of the East Texas Veterinary Medical Association, past President of the East Texas Equine Veterinary Medical Association, past Director of Tyler Animal Emergency Clinic, past Director of Northeast Texas District, and past Director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (six years, two terms) as well as a serving member of these. He also was co-author and Editor of the Horsemen’s Veterinary Encyclopedia. Dr. Hadden was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Lee Evans Hadden and Barbara Hadden. He is survived by his loving family including his wife of 43 years, Joy Brown Hadden; daughters, Tess Murphy and husband David of Tyler, Tara Suel and husband Tim of College Station and Stori Nix and husband John of Tyler; uncle Judge Roby Hadden and wife Marellyn of Tyler and their family; and grandchildren, Alyssa, Jonathan, Mary Grace, and Kathleen Murphy, and Harrison, Lockett and Cora Suel. Pallbearers will be David Murphy, Jonathan Murphy, Tim Suel, Harrison Suel, John Nix, Steve Nix, Tommy Hadden and Ben Hadden. If desired, memorials may be made to the “All In Project” of Grace Community Church, 3215 Old Jacksonville Hwy, Tyler, 75701. Sandy’s life verse was: Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider-God has made the one as well as the other…”

Dr. Will A. "Sandy" Hadden, DVM

January 8, 1951 - October 31, 2012