Terry Harden
November 19, 1948-December 13, 2025

Terry Garrett Harden passed into eternal life on December 13, 2025. He was born in Ada, Oklahoma on November 19, 1948, to Johnie Garrett, Jr. and Jean Harden. After graduating from Moore Oklahoma High School, he attended the University of Oklahoma with emphasis on marketing.

He began his career in various aspects of upscale retail operations, marketing and merchandising. In addition, he worked in the restaurant business and turned more than one failing business into successful operations. Terry knew early in his working life he wanted to work for himself. He used to laugh and say if not for his failing waffle business at the Tulsa State Fair, he would have never had the success he gained once he started in the food brokerage business. Using his entrepreneurial and marketing skills he started his own food brokerage, A-1 Marketing. He represented numerous food suppliers and developed business relationships with various schools, hospitals and convenience stores and maintained his business along with employees for over 30 years. His major client was QuikTrip.

Through a friend and business partner he met the love of his life, Sylva Heath. From the day they met in 1998 he was smitten but a bit shy and a little fearful. He had been single for over 15 years. They married in January 2002. He made it his life ambition to cook for her and the running community and even attended The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California to enhance his skills, he loved every minute. Terry was well known for his ability to cook and entertain large groups as well as small dinner parties. It gave him great joy to share food he prepared. He also volunteered for about 10 years to manage a large water stop for the Tulsa Run in memory of a friend lost in an accident.

Terry loved to travel, many trips to Las Vegas included shows, golf and excellent restaurants, and he was a fantastic gambler. He attended numerous Nascar races, championship sports events, concerts and Kentucky Derby races. Trips to Europe, national parks in the US, visits to numerous states, hiking and snow skiing. He also loved to trout fish and took an annual trip to Idaho with friends. He never failed to "cheer/yell" at the television when OU played, he and his sister cheered Boomer Sooner.

Terry is preceded in death by his mother, Jean Harden and his father, Johnie Garrett Harden Jr., and his Aunt Mae Holleyman Steves.

Terry is survived by his loving wife, Sylva Harden, his stepson Jason Hyre, god daughter Hollie Majdan and husband Nik and their two children; Everett and Aveline Majdan, his Aunt Betty Reid and sister Linda Jean Hill and husband Mark, their two children; Jon Stephen Hill and wife Megan, and Tiffany Hill Davis and husband Brad plus five nieces and nephews; Emory and Charlie Hill, Bennitt, Ford and Chandler Davis.

A celebration of Terry's life will be held on Friday, December 19, 2:00 p.m. at Moore Funeral Homes, Rosewood Chapel, 2570 South Harvard, Tulsa, Oklahoma. The cemetery service will be Monday, December 22, 2:00 p.m. at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.