Elroy Paul Roy Hardie

1927 - 2009

Elroy Roy Hardie, age 82, was a man of Baptist faith and lived happy knowing the gates were open to Heaven for him and he walked through them at 5:05 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009.
He was born on May 3, 1927, in Tabor City, N.C., to George McCray Hardie and Debbie Hewett Hardie. It is a pretty funny story - his father had to take a horse and carriage for two days to get to Tabor City to record his birth, so for years we were celebrating his birthday on May 5. He had to drop out of school in the 9th grade due to the loss of his father. We think that is why he loved working with his tractor and his hands so much. Always complaining of his back pain, but he would not have had it any other way. You could frequently see him driving his tractor along Highway 98 to go work on one of his many properties in Okaloosa County and Santa Rosa County, Fla. He was a real entrepreneur for managing property. He was a man of many trades. Believe it or not, after he got out of the Army he went to barber school and he was a barber for 15 years at Eglin Air Force Base.
Each and every person that knew Roy always came away with the feeling that love and faith were his guides in life. You could just feel the love in his heart and knew that you were going to be a friend with this man.
He was a member of Midway Baptist Church for many years and this family wants to thank Pastor Dennis Brunet, Brother Pete and Brother Greg, for their outpouring of faith, love in God, and the support we all need at this time in our life, those of us who have been left behind with these wonderful memories of this great man. Roy is in Heaven now and is a free spirit watching us and guiding us in our path to Heaven.
He was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He loved spending time with all of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; when in need he was always there for comfort, faith and love.
He was in the U.S. Army in World War II. Mr. Hardie was a lifetime member of the VFW Choctawhatchee Post 7674 and the Post Commander in 1991 and 1992. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion and AMVETS.
Mr. Hardie was preceded in death by his parents and one son. He is survived by his children, Michael G. Hardie, Paulette Hardie, Reba J. Williams, and daughter-in-law, Sharon Hardie; four sisters, Marjorie Nunes, Pat Cook, Joann McKell and Wanda Purcell; his brother, Bobby Hardie; his close companion and mother of his four children, Betty Sue Hardie; grandchildren, Paul Hardie, Jason Williams, Jennifer Hardie, Shauna Hardie, Tracy Williams, Donna Williams and Denise Williams; granddaughter, Kara Percifield; great-grandchildren, Haleigh Hardie, Cayleigh Hardie, Gabriel Hardie, Nevaeh Williams, Tristan Hardie, Ashton M. Percifield and Isacc Schaller, who knows him as "Papa Hardie" for the last three years.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, Aug. 31, at 2 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church with Pastor Dennis Brunet Officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. He will be laid to rest beside his beloved son, Dennis Allen Hardie, who went through the gates of Heaven in 1972 at Beal Memorial Cemetery, located in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Rose Lawn Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.