Ruby Francis Hardin

1937 - 2021

ALMA - Ruby Francis Hardin, 83, of Alma died Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society Colonial Villa in Alma.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Alma with the Rev. Seong Lee officiating. Burial will follow at the Alma Cemetery.
The service will be livestreamed via the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Homes Facebook page.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Alma.
Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Ruby was born Nov. 29, 1937, on the family farm, south of Orleans, in the Eldorado Township, in Harlan County. She was the fourth of 10 children born to Arthur Ely and Sara Isabel (Gibson) Reynolds. Ruby accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior as a young girl. She received her education from Springbrook District No. 26 in Harlan County and then attended and graduated from Long Island High School with the class of 1957.
On Sept. 29, 1957, Ruby married Harry D. "Dee" Hardin at the Congregational Church in Alma. The couple made their home on Dee's family farm near Alma. They were blessed with two daughters, DeAnna and Pamela. Ruby enjoyed tending to her daughters and helping Dee on the farm, especially driving her red International grain truck for harvest.
Ruby worked in the Harlan County Clerk's office and was also an Avon and World Book Encyclopedia representative.
She enjoyed vegetable gardening, and canning, sewing and loved horses as a young girl and stayed an accomplished rider. Ruby enjoyed helping her grandchildren paint ceramics, and attending as many of their school and 4-H activities as possible. She took pride in preparing wild game meats, including snapping turtle, and also enjoyed hunting deer with her husband for many years.
She was a member of the Alma Evangelical Free Church, where she was active with children's Sunday school and the Joy Club. Ruby also volunteered many hours at the Colonial Villa and at her church; and was a founding member of the Harlan County Caring Cupboard. She was a member of the canvassing board and served three terms as Harlan County District No. 7 supervisor; was a 50-year member of Dine-a-Mite Extension Club, and was a current member of the Faye Cady American Legion Post 118 Auxiliary.
The couple later transferred their membership to the Alma United Methodist Church. Ruby will be remembered for her caring demeanor and her outgoing personality.
Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Dee Hardin of Alma; daughters, DeAnna Anderbery and her husband Dave of Axtell, and Pam Taylor and her husband Brian of rural Phillipsburg, Kansas; six grandchildren, Dee Duering and his wife Kristi of Fairfax, Missouri; Justin Taylor and his wife Kelly of rural Phillipsburg; Clint Taylor and his wife Jessica of rural Whitman; Heath Anderbery and his wife Kayla of Axtell; MaChaela Gruntoard and her husband Tyler of Bertrand; and Rhett Anderbery of Axtell; 12 great-grandchildren, KayDee and Tyler Duering; Cory, Laney and Libby Taylor; Danny, Jillian and Isabel Taylor; Miles, Jordy and Paxton Anderbery; and Bronson Gruntoard; two sisters, Norene Pepper of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and June Lawrence of Wagoner, Oklahoma; one brother-in-law, Terry Huag of Smith Center, Kansas; along with many nieces, nephews and extended family.
Ruby was preceded in death by her parents; five sisters, including one sister in infancy, and Arla Jane, Frona, Lorene and Lois; two brothers, Gayle LeRoy Reynolds and David Frank Reynolds; five brothers-in-law, Boyd Neeman, Robert Gillham, Ed Lawrence; Gary Parker and Joe Pepper; and one sister-in-law, Catherine "Myrl" Gough and her husband, the Rev. Robert Gough.
A memorial has been established in Ruby's honor and kindly suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alma or Camp Joy.
Visit www.nelsonbauerfh.com to leave condolences.