Rachel Hardman

Rachel Hardman, 85, of Charles City, passed away Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at the Wellspring Living of Friendship Village in Waterloo, Iowa with her family by her side.
A funeral service for Rachel Hardman will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 20, 2025, at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City with Erik Hoefer officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Greene, Iowa.
Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the start of the service at the funeral home on Monday.
Rachel Ruth Schaper was born August 30, 1940 in Iowa City. Her parents were Eugene and Bessie Schaper of rural Marshalltown, Iowa. Rachel passed away after a battle with cancer while living at Wellspring Living of Friendship Village in Waterloo, Iowa on October 8, 2025.
She graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1958 as valedictorian. She participated in band, chorus, softball, class plays, newspaper, and yearbook.
She later attended Valparaiso University in Indiana. Rachel graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree where she majored in chemistry and minored in biology and sociology.
After graduation, she became a social worker in Charles City at the Floyd County Courthouse. During her first few years in Charles City, she met John Hardman. They were united in marriage on October 23, 1970, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. She and John had three children: Chad, Jeff, and Darcie. She stayed home several years raising their kids. Then she spent the next 22 years as a rural postal carrier for the US Postal Service in Floyd County. She retired in 2001, and was able to enjoy traveling with John, spending time with grandchildren, and volunteering. Some of her favorite travels included Italy, Germany, Rome, Belize, Alaska, Grand Canyon, Zihuatanejo, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, and Yepala. She enjoyed staying active by swimming at the YMCA. She was involved with the Floyd County Democrat Party. Rachael also volunteered at the Floyd County Museum and the Floyd County Hospital.
Rachel attended St. John Lutheran Church in Charles City.
Rachael is survived by three children: Chad (Jen) of Pella, Jeff (Robyn) of Cedar Falls, and Darcie (Colby) of Charles City; 15 grandchildren: Ashley, Luke, Sarah, Ellie, Brody, Mya, Griffin, Macy, Blaze, Josh, Makenna, Ashton, Emma, Ava, and Nolan. Along with nieces and nephews: Mark, Stephen, Erin, and Shane.
Rachel was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, John Hardman; her parents Eugene and Bessie Schaper, mother and father-in-law Marion and Royal Hardman; her brother and sister-in-law Paul and Linda Schaper; her sister-in-law Barbara Hardman; and granddaughter Macy Hardman.