Mr. Roger Hardy

Mr. Roger Hardy, 96, a loving husband, father, grandfather and a hardworking, Christian gentleman, of Dobson, died Thursday afternoon, July 7, 2016, surrounded by his family. Mr. Hardy was born January 3, 1920, the second son and fifth child of the eight children born to the late John Wesley “Wes” and Sena “Senie” Evelyn Brendle Hardy. He was the grandson of the late James “Jim” Monroe and Sally Whitaker Hardy and John (Fletcher) and Lucinda York Brendle, as well as being a descendant of some of the oldest families in Surry and Yadkin Counties, NC. His youth was spent on grain and tobacco farms along the Yadkin River near Boonville in Yadkin County, NC and the Crutchfield and Little Richmond communities in Surry County, NC. At an early age, Mr. Hardy was at least a fourth generation member of his family to work as a gristmiller assisting his father who was the general manager for a time of the Snow Creek Milling Company owned by Joseph Layne at the Little Richmond location. Upon young adulthood and prior to military service, he was an employee of the former Rock Creek Dairy Company near Greensboro, NC, a totally self-sufficient operation. Fond memories of his duties included herding cattle on horseback and helping to conduct tours for visitors on weekends. Mr. Hardy was a decorated veteran of the United States Army during World War II having fought in Europe. He fought in the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in France, June 6, 1944. Mr. Hardy was a member of a Glider Infantry having landed behind enemy lines whose orders were to fight toward the Normandy coast. He once estimated that thirty survived of a Company of 300 men. Mr. Hardy was a member of an Honor Guard, and was a Purple Heart recipient. He also received the Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal and distinguished service ribbons. Almost immediately after the return home from military service, Mr. Hardy was hired by the Norfolk & Southern Railway where he was employed for over ten years as a member of the Bridge Force. He was employed for twenty-five years with the Maintenance Division of the Surry County School system, and witnessed tremendous growth of it during his career. This included the consolidation of the high schools and construction of East Surry, North Surry and Surry Central High Schools, as well as the current Administrative Offices, Maintenance Division site and the APPLE Center. Mr. Hardy aided in the construction and development of the grounds at each of these facilities. He was dedicated to his work at all of the school sites. Mr. Hardy was honored with a surprise retirement celebration at the newly opened APPLE Center, January 29, 1982. He maintained his own carpentry business for approximately fifteen years, and his last business activities included selling wooden craft items, canes and hiking sticks that he made. Many of these items were sold at the Rockford General Store and the Trading Post in Glendale Springs, NC. He was an active, lifelong member of Mount Hermon Baptist Church for almost seven decades, and was the eldest member as well as having the longest years of membership. Mr. Hardy and his late wife were members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class for many years. He was a former Maintenance Director and retired from the Maintenance Committee and Grounds Committee. Mr. Hardy was dedicated to the care of the church cemetery helping to sew grass and develop its first lawn. When the position of groundskeeper was established, he was co-groundskeeper for the first year, and then served solely for many years. In addition to his parents, Mr. Hardy was preceded in death by his loving wife of sixty-four years, Annie Lee Barker Hardy, on May 15, 2012, to whom he married on February 27, 1948; one son-in-law, John Elbert “J.E.” Wishon; four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Gertha Hardy Stanley and Rufus Henderson Stanley, Lillian Hardy Mendenhall and Harvey Lee Mendenhall, Sr., Alma Hardy Mounce and Carmel Vance Mounce, and an infant sister; and two brothers and one sister-in-law, Labin Paulus and Stella Nance Hardy and Homer Monroe James Fletcher Hardy. Survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Janice Hardy Davis and Donald Gray Davis, Sr. of Dobson, Kathy Hardy and Ralph Ervin Holt of Rural Hall, and Bonita Hardy Wishon Durham and Charles Leonard Durham, Sr. of Elkin; one grandson, Donald Gray Davis, Jr. of Dobson; one brother and two sisters-in-law, Leo Wesley and Wanda Lee Jackson Hardy of State Road and Mrs. Dorothy Lowe Hardy of Elon; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 2:00 pm at Mount Hermon Baptist Church by the Rev. Randy Davis, the Rev. James Pardue and Donald Gray Davis, Sr., eulogist. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with full military honors provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Mount Airy Post 2019, Pilot Mountain Post 9436 and the North Carolina National Guard. The family will receive friends at Moody-Davis Funeral Services of Dobson on Saturday evening, July 9, 2016 from 6 to 8 pm where his body will remain until time to be carried to the church to lie-in-state thirty minutes prior to the service.

Online condolences may be made at www.moodyfuneralservices.com