Hardie Richards
Hardie Lee Richards, 95, of Holyoke, died July 21, 2022, in Holyoke. Hardie was born Nov. 8, 1926, in Vera, Texas, to Ruben Flowers and Hester Malinda Randolph Richards.
On March 4, 1945, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served until 1947. He was on a ship headed for Japan to be reinforcements for the Japanese invasion at the end of WWII when they dropped the atomic bomb. After his enlistment was up, he was in the Marine Reserves until being called up for active duty for the Korean War, where he was a section leader of a machine gun crew. He oversaw 25-30 men as a staff sergeant. He was a Purple Heart recipient after taking shrapnel to his shoulder during an intense firefight.
Hardie married his wife, Betty, on Feb. 4, 1953, in Vinita, Oklahoma. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma A&M, which is now Oklahoma State University, and later a master’s degree in animal nutrition. Hardie worked as an animal nutritionist at Ferrara Farms in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and as a health inspector for the city and county of Denver, and was co-owner of Golden Valley Pork in Idaho Falls, Idaho, with his son Steve.
He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 65 years, Betty Richards; son, Steve Richards; step-grandson, Jackson; three sisters, Sibyle Archer, Mary Frances Welch and Tommie Roberson; and brother, Billie Richards.
Hardie enjoyed reading, watching news stories, and most of all, watching “Gunsmoke” and John Wayne movies.
Hardie is survived by two sons, Ron and Cherie Richards and Tony and Michelle Richards; daughter-in-law and primary caregiver, Debbie Richards; sister, Jan Charles; five grandchildren, Kimberly, David, Lacey, Jeremy and Christina, and Crystal; and 10 great-grandchildren, Austin, Kailee, Emma, Axel, Alexis, Addison, Logan, Morgan, Anthony and Andrew.
Graveside services will be held at a later date at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. A celebration of life will also be held at a later date in Holyoke.
Arrangements are under the direction of Baucke Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Disabled American Veterans in the name of SSG Hardie Richards, or a charity of the donor’s choice.