Clifford Leroy Hardie

Clifford Leroy Hardie, 85, of Wilmington, passed away Saturday evening, March 3, 2018 at the Cape May Retirement Community in Wilmington.

He was born March 22, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, son of the late Phillip Kearny and Emily Marson (Hare) Hardie. On September 6, 1960 in Floral Park Long Island, New York, he married Connie Herbst Hardie, who survives.

Mr. Hardie was a Professor Emeritus in the English Department of Wilmington College, serving over 35 years, and he had written seven books of poetry. He was a 1955 Graduate of Northwestern University, then spent three years in the US Army serving during the Korean Conflict in the Panama Canal Zone.

After serving our nation, Mr. Hardie went to NYU to get his master's and work on his doctorate.

In addition to his wife of 57 years, other surviving family members are his son, Dr. William (Dr. Jennifer) Hardie of Lebanon, Ohio; grandchildren, David, Julia and Christanna; sister, Susan Alexander of Kingston, Jamaica; nephew, Phillip Alexander of Massachusetts; and niece, Wendy Kuehn of Florida.

Prayers will be said at 10:15 a.m. Friday, March 9 at the Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home, 97 W. Locust St. at North Mulberry Street, Wilmington, followed by his funeral service at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Columbkille Catholic Church, 73 N. Mulberry St., Wilmington. Interment will follow in the Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wilmington. The family will receive friends from 9 a.m. until the time of prayers at the Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home.

Contributions in Mr. Hardie's memory may be made to the Community Care Hospice, PO Box 123, Wilmington, OH 45177 or to Ohio Living Cape May c/o Whitney O'Neal, 175 Cape May Dr., Wilmington, OH 45177.

To sign the online guest book, please go to edgingtonfuneralhomes.com.