Larry Howard Hardy

Larry Howard Hardy age 86, of Pinehaven, WY passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026 at Crook County Medical Services Long Term Care facility. Larry Howard Hardy was born to Howard and Kathryn Hardy on May 29, 1939, in Gillette, Wyoming. Larry graduated from Campbell County High School with the Class of 1958, where he was a standout athlete, lettering in both football and basketball. He earned All-State honors in football and played on the school’s first basketball team to win a state championship. He married Barbara Deaver in August 1960, and not long after, they welcomed their son. A few years later, their daughter completed the family. From an early age, Larry showed the enterprising spirit he learned from his father. In grade school, he and a friend ordered hamsters—COD—to breed and sell. His father, Howard, was less than thrilled to become an unadvised investor of three dollars in the hamster business. Larry began his career of driving truck by working for Bell and Mooney Trucking and continued working for many trucking companies. He enlisted in the National Guard and was deployed to Fort Lewis, Washington during the Berlin Crisis. In 1968, Larry moved his family to the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, where they purchased their dream property that became their home for 45 years. What began as a small miner’s cabin with five acres of land, Larry built into a warm family home with a moss rock fireplace, and a four-stall barn which he built all by hand. Later he started his own landscaping business where he would start by moving the dirt from the backyard to the front yard every spring… and then back again. Although he settled in Colorado to raise his family, Larry always considered Gillette, Wyoming his true home. When the time came to retire, he and Barb returned to Wyoming, purchasing 20 acres in Pine Haven. After countless trips hauling antiques, sheep wagons, and restoration projects back from Colorado, they embraced a bit of cowboy living—camping on the property with an outdoor “bathroom” overlooking Keyhole Reservoir. It wasn’t long before Larry was building again, constructing a small apartment alongside a shop five times its size to house the many treasures they had collected and refurbished over the years. If you were looking for Larry, you could usually find him at a parade, in front of the TV watching rodeo on the Cowboy Channel, or, of course, at an auction. And wherever he was, he was never above spinning a good tall tale or playing a harmless trick on someone just to keep things interesting. Larry is survived by his wife of 65 years,Barbara Hardy; daughter, Sherryl (Gene) Hardy-Davis; brother, Bob (Neva) Hardy; sisters, Kathleen (Ed) Lohmann and Donna Hardy; grandchildren, Kathryn Taylor Pickett, Lacey Hardy and Timothy Pickett; great-granddaughter, Marliyn Hardy. He is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Kathryn Hardy, and his son, Douglas Hardy. Larry will be remembered for his love of family, craftsmanship in his many sheepwagon projects and homes he built with just a hammer and nails. Larry was proud of his Wyoming roots and showed that in his stubborn cowboy grit attitude. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Crook County Long Term Care for the compassionate care given to Larry. They are especially thankful for the dedicated staff, whose kindness, patience, and support meant so much to him and to our family. Funeral service for Larry will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, February 23, 2026 at Gillette Memorial Chapel with Randy Blakeman officiating; interment to follow at Mt. Pisgah. We would like to warmly invite everyone to attend a luncheon following the services as we gather together to remember and celebrate his life. Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com