James Widmar "Jim" Hardy

James "Jim" Widmar Hardy, 84, of Glen Ellyn passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Loving husband of Jean Berg Hardy. Devoted father of Debbie (John) Ruckstaetter, Doug (Wendy) Hardy, David (Jennifer) Hardy, and Dan (Venessa) Hardy. Grandfather of Alex (Katelyn) Ruckstaetter and Tyler Ruckstaetter; Sam (Eaden) Hardy, Owen Hardy, Anne (Ben) Thorson; Caroline, Kathryn, and Elizabeth Hardy; Elliot, Jasper, Oliver, and Vivienne Hardy. Great-grandfather of Abel and Norris Hardy; and Elsie Thorson. Son of the late Roger and the late Lillian Hardy. Brother of John Wells Hardy. Brother-in-law of Marilyn Berg Casazza. Uncle of Audra (Jim) Christensen, Gina (Tom) Volpe, and Keith (B.K.) Casazza.

James Widmar Hardy was born January 18, 1941 in Evanston, Illinois to Roger Douglas and Lillian Widmar Hardy. His brother, John Wells Hardy, was born 6 years later and the "Hardy Boys" began their life of adventure in Evanston with baseball games in the "Mark's Yard" and burgers & shakes at Bill's Drive-in.

After graduating from Evanston Township High School in 1958, Jim attended DePauw University where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity and played centerfield on the baseball team. He loved to talk about his 0.415 batting average! Senior year he was one of the three captains of the team and in 2022 Jim was inducted into the DePauw Athletics Hall of Fame. After graduating from DePauw in 1962 with a degree in mathematics, Jim was drafted by the Auburn Mets. Before heading to Spring Training, he married his college sweetheart, Jean Camille Berg, on February 2, 1963. He spent one year with the New York Mets minor league team when he thought it was time to find a "real job". In 1966 he took a position at Burroughs (later Unisys) Corporation where he worked in sales and management until he retired in 2002. After retirement, Jim became a substitute teacher. Teaching others was truly his gift. First in the western suburbs of Chicago including teaching for his daughter in her 4th grade Elmhurst classroom and in his grandchildren's school in Glen Ellyn. Then when he and Jean moved up to Hayward, Wisconsin, he continued his substitute teaching in the public schools grades K-12. He had found his passion and calling in his retirement!

Jim and Jean moved to Glen Ellyn in 1966 and raised their four children, Debbie, Doug, David, and Dan. Jim began to use his gift of teaching to coach baseball. First it was the American Legion team in Elmhurst and when they were old enough, his 3 sons' teams in Glen Ellyn. Even after his boys were grown, he coached the Glen Ellyn American Legion team. As his son remembers, his dad's message wasn't always about winning. He talked about being safe, having fun, and supporting each other. He had a calm demeanor and skills that really spoke to the boys he coached. When his grandchildren came along, he was there to guide them and cheer them on. Jim also was very active in the Glen Ellyn Jaycees. He worked the Village Fair, was a Dancing Daddy in the annual Talent Show and participated in flag football, volleyball, and 16 inch softball until the time came when he had to hang up his cleats. Many of those friends from Jaycees became part of their "Party Animals" group who met for monthly outings for many years.

Besides baseball, Jim was an avid golfer and angler. In Glen Ellyn, he played at the Village Links for many years. When he retired to Hayward, it was the Hayward Golf and Tennis Club where he played sometimes several times a week. He organized various golf outings throughout his illustrious career which included a hole in one at the Village Links! The Hardy Open was a yearly occurrence for almost 40 years! Playing at various courses was so much fun for him. He even got to play a round at St. Andrews when his daughter was studying in Great Britain. Fishing was a passion of Jim's from his younger days when he fished for musky on Pine Lake in Hiles, WI. He finally got his boys into the sport when he took them to the Spider Lake Chain. Before he knew it, the students had surpassed the master. After a while, he would spend more time queuing up the music and catching his boys' trophy fish with the video camera!

Up in Hayward, Jim and Jean became part of the community as they had in Glen Ellyn. Jim worked the starting line at the yearly Birkenbeiner cross country ski race, and they hosted skiers in their home for many years. They took in baseball games for the Hayward Hawks often knowing the players because Jim had taught them as high schoolers. For many years they hosted students from UW Singers who came to perform for the community. Between their bridge group, movie nights, New Years Day & Memorial Day parties, and dinners at The Chippewa Inn, there was nary a dull moment in the life of Jim and Jean Hardy.

In 2025, Jim and Jean moved back to Glen Ellyn to be near their family again. His family was blessed to be able to spend more time with Jim, and the folks at Brookdale were able to meet this awesome human being. Lovingly known as "Jimmer, Papa, & Gaga", he was a man of few words; but when he spoke, you wanted to listen. His sense of humor, quick wit, and comedic timing was unmatched. He was an honest, genuine man of integrity who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A Celebration of Life Open House will be held on Saturday, August 30 at the Village Links in Glen Ellyn from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm with a short service from the family at 3:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Ed Posh Scholarship Fund of Glen Ellyn online or mail to 485 Winchell Way, Glen Ellyn, Il 60137 or DePauw University Baseball online or mail to: DePauw University, 201 E. Seminary St., Greencastle, IN 46135 (Note in memory of James Widmar Hardy, Class of 1962). For more information on Jim's arrangements please call Leonard Memorial Home at (630) 469-0032.