Obituary

Joshua Dylan Hardy, age 43, of Cherryvale, Kansas passed away Aug. 8, 2015 at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma with family members present. Mr. Hardy was born Feb. 13, 1972 in Neodesha, Kansas, the oldest son of Edgar W. (Jody) Hardy and Barbara (McKenzie) Hardy. He was raised in Independence, graduating I.H.S. in 1990. He attended Labette Commercial Art School in Oswego and ICC in Independence. He served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Hawaii. In 1993, he married Lori Fisher of Fort Scott and they later divorced. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. During high school, he worked in the mail room at the Independence Reporter, was a Life Scout with BSA, worked at Camp Cherokee as a counselor/sailing instructor/lifeguard during summer. He was a black belt competitor in Tai Quon Do tournaments in Kansas and Arkansas. He had a gift in art and mechanics/machining. He loved the outdoors, camping, teaching survival skills, working on cars, fast engines, rescuing animals, and was a gifted gunsmith. His interest in all things military stemmed from family service, with his grandfathers both serving in WWII, one dying in Korea as a P.O.W. and one serving in the Pacific as a pilot. His father was a member of the Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. and served in Vietnam. His deep love for life, family, and friends was evident to everyone who knew him. Josh was preceded in death by his father, Edgar W. (Jody) Hardy II and a half-brother Warren Hardy. Survivors include: his infant son, Joshua Christopher Kalash Hardy, his mother, Barbara Hardy, brother, Jacob Hardy, sisters, Sarah Hardy, Cora Hardy, Emily Hardy, and half-brother, Chris Meeks of Jasper, Alabama, maternal grandmother, Jo McKenzie, Laurie Knight, extended McKenzie and Hardy family and many close friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made at Community National Bank of Cherryvale to the Joshua Hardy Memorial Fund for the future benefit of his son, Joshua Hardy. His funeral service will be held Sunday, Aug. l6, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 507 W. Mulberry, Independence, Kansas. Following the service family and friends will gather for remembrance and refreshment at the Cherryvale Community Center located at the old Armory building in Cherryvale, Kansas starting at 5 p.m.