John Herbert Hardy “Jack” November 10, 1935 - December 7, 2024

John Herbert Hardy (Jack) passed away on December 7, 2024, in Spanish Fork, Utah, at the age of 89 as a result of cancer. He was born on November 10, 1935, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As a child, he enjoyed playing sports, including hockey on a local ice pond. His parents encouraged him to pursue an education, and his mother taught him how to read from reading labels on soup cans. He enjoyed listening to Detroit Tigers baseball games on the radio in the bedroom attic of his home. He was active in Boy Scouts and excelled in school. He skipped a grade in elementary school and had strong talents in math and reading. As an adult, he enjoyed attending Education Week at Brigham Young University and attended classes until the age of 85.
When he was growing up, Jack and his parents were members of the Episcopal church. In 1950, two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—David Wilcox and Douglas Morris—knocked on the door of Jack’s home in Sarnia. Jack felt impressed to invite them into the home. At age 15 and after several months of meeting with the missionaries, Jack and his mother were baptized members of the Church on May 29, 1951, and his father was later baptized as well. Jack remained active in the Church throughout his life, serving in many different capacities and setting an amazing example for all those that he interacted with.
Jack attended Johnston Memorial Public School in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, and graduated from Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School in 1954. He received a scholarship from the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire upon graduation and attended Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He was the first member of the Hardy family to attend university and earn a degree.
On May 6, 1961, he married the love of his life, Roma Arlene Haenke, in Port Huron, Michigan. Ten days later, they were sealed by Jesse M. Smith in the Salt Lake City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jack and Roma welcomed three children to their family: Roma Rene in 1961, Jon Carl in 1962, and Heather Helene in 1971.
After graduating from Queen’s, Jack was employed by DuPont in Sarnia. He went on to work for Wynedot Chemical in Trenton, Michigan. Due to health challenges with his two children, Jack made the difficult choice to leave all extended family in Michigan and Canada and relocate to a warm, dry climate to accept a position at Rexene Chemical in Odessa, Texas. After seven years in Odessa, Jack was asked to head up the construction of a new facility in Houston, Texas. After completing the design and construction of the plant, Jack went on to accept a position at Lummus Engineering, where he retired in 2005.
Jack was active in sports throughout his life. He was pitcher for the Kingston Sunlifer’s Fast Pitch baseball team, which won the local KASA Championship in 1959. He even made the front page of the local newspaper, where he was photographed trying to break up a fight between two opposing players. He was a basketball player, coach, and referee for much of his life. He was heavily involved in community service, serving as the Basketball Commissioner for the Odessa Boys’ Club for several years. He was honored with the Man and Boy Award in 1972 and the Golden Boy Award in 1973.
Jack is survived by his daughter Roma Rene of Provo, Utah; his son, Jon Carl Hardy (Julie Ward Hardy) of Spanish Fork, Utah; and Heather Helene Hardy Gibson (Brian Gibson) of Vernal, Utah. He has 9 living grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Roma; his father, John Charles Hardy; his mother, Reta Warner Hardy; his sister, Audrey Elaine Hardy Clarke; and his grandson Carl Edward Hardy.