Ruth E. Hardy

Family-Placed Funeral Notice

RUTH E. HARDY Ruth E. Hardy, community leader, public relations executive and wife of the late C. Colburn Hardy died on June 10, 2006, in Virginia. A native of the Oranges, she was a direct descendent of the Peck Family who sailed with Robert Treat from England in the 1660's to settle Connecticut and the City of Newark where they drafted and signed the City Covenant and later built a major shipping company. Mrs. Hardy was a hospital public relations and development executive at East Orange General Hospital, the Morristown Memorial Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital, Hoboken, and St. Barnabas Hospital, Livingston and later as President of her own firm. She was a member of the Public Relations Society of America and founded the NJ Public Relations Association serving as President for more than 6 years and was named the “Outstanding Public Relations Professional.” In addition, Mrs. Hardy had long associations with various community organizations at the State and local levels. She was named by two Governors to chair the Commission on Children and Youth for more than eight years. She was President of the East Orange Junior Woman's Club; Past Matron of the East Orange Chapter #160, Order of the Eastern Star (now Lincoln Chapter, Livingston, N.J.); the Essex County Republican Club; Vice President of the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women; and a Board member of the United Way. She also was a candidate for both the office of Mayor of East Orange and the New Jersey State Legislature. Mrs. Hardy was a Life Member of the Girl Scouts of the USA and served as President of the Girl Scout Council of the Oranges (the predecessor of the Girl Scout Council of Greater Essex and Hudson Counties) and Girl Scout Camp Eagle Island, Upper Saranac Lake, New York. She was also Chairman of Friends of Our Chalet, an international center for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in Adelboden, Switzerland. Upon relocating to Florida in 1980, Mrs. Hardy was an executive at St. Mary's Hospital, West Palm Beach. She was also Editor of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce “Official Guide to Palm Beach,” newsletter publisher for several local organizations, and an active member of local organizations including the Governors Club, the Flagler Sunrise Kiwanis Club, Habitat for Humanity International of Palm Beach County. Mrs. Hardy was a graduate of the Dearborn Morgan School of Drake College and attended the Columbia University School of Journalism. Mrs. Hardy was the daughter of the late Charles and Charlotte Hart of the Oranges, and sister of the late Charles F. Hart, Jr. of Memphis, TN. She leaves her daughter, Dorcas R. Hardy, former U.S. Commissioner of Social Security, and her husband Samuel V. Spagnolo, M.D. of Virginia. She also leaves a sister-in-law and five nieces and nephews and their families. A Memorial Service will be held at Ft. Myer Chapel at 3 p.m. on July 25 with inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Ruth E. Hardy Camp Eagle Island Memorial at Girl Scout Council of Greater Essex and Hudson Counties, 120 Valley Road, Montclair, New Jersey 07042. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries