Gwendolyn Madden Hardy

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, formerly of Martha's Vineyard and West Medford, MA, passed away on July 28, 2008. She was born in New Brunswick, NJ, and lived her early years in Alberta, Canada and Boston, MA. She was a graduate of Girls' High School, Boston, MA. Mrs. Hardy was predeceased by her husband, Chester Hardy; grandson, Larry Barksdale; and brother, Phillip D. Oliver. She was the daughter of the late Shirley Oliver and Elizabeth Oliver Newton. She was an active member of Shiloh Baptist Church, MA and later First Baptist Church, Tisbury, MA. She taught Hairdressing/Beauty Culture at La Newton School of Beauty Culture, Boston, MA, which her mother founded and operated. She also taught Cosmetology at Medford Vocational School, Medford, MA, before she retired. She was known in the West Medford neighborhood as "Ma Hardy". She is survived by three children, Diane Headen of Decatur, GA; Sandra Bronson of Brockton, MA; Joseph Madden, III and devoted daughter-in-law, Dorothy of Bel Air, MD; six grandchildren, Caren, Benjamin; Marc Betts of MD; Renee Heywood of MA; Joseph Madden, IV; James Madden; and Marquie Madden, all at CA; eight great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Elsie Oliver of Medford, MA; and other relatives and friends. Funeral Services will be held at Shiloh Baptist Church, Bower & Holton Sts., West Medford, MA on Saturday, August 2 at 12. The family will receive friends from 10-12. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Alzheimers Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or to the First Baptist Church, Tisbury, MA. She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, who left a legacy of family history that has and will be passed down throughout many generations. For additional information, please visit: www.magliozzifuneralhome.com.