Larry K. Hardin

EATON — Larry K. Hardin of Eaton, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023.

He was born Jan. 7, 1935, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He was 88 years old. At the age of four his family moved to a farm about 10 miles south of Logansport, Indiana. At age six, Larry had a lifesaving mastoidectomy causing him to miss the rest of the first grade at the nearby Deacon School. His second grade was spent in four different schools in Michigan, where his father worked in WWII defense jobs. He graduated from Logansport High School as valedictorian of his 173-person class.

Graduating with honors and as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force from DePauw University in 1957, Larry was hired by IBM, and served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1961 where he reached the rank of Captain. In 1974 Larry married his wife, Ruth. Shortly after marrying, IBM commended Larry for his 25 years of service in the field (Dayton area, 1984) and he was given a headquarters staff assignment in the Personal Computer Division in Boca Raton, Florida. Although she hated giving up her work with Wright State Medical School, Ruth was supportive of his challenge and they made the move to Boca.

After 35 years of a very successful and technologically definitive (all the way from punched cards to personal computers) career with IBM, he retired but continued to work for IBM as a contractor for another 6 years, mostly doing business shows. Always active in the communities where they lived, Larry served as the first Association President at Pheasant Run. He was also always active in the churches he attended, serving on councils and singing in choirs, currently, Grace Lutheran, which he did right up to his final days. He also sang in the Eaton Area Community Chorus for over 10 years.

Larry is survived by his wife of 49 years, Ruth (Eaton), daughter Dawn (St. Louis, Missouri,) sons Kirk (Flagstaff, Arizona) and Mark (Heather and their children Madeline and Heidi (Corpus Christi, Texas) and Mark's children Sage and Kayli; step-daughter Rita (Fox River Grove, Illinois) and her children Kyle (Phoenix, Arizona) and Jessica (Rhett) (Deer Park, Illinois) and her children Winnie and Ellie, and step-daughter Susan (Charles) (Marysville, Washington,) and his sister Sharon.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Eva Hardin, and his brother-in-law James Miller and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, Oct. 20, at 11 a.m. at Mound Hill Cemetery (new section,) Eaton. Gard Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the family with arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Heart Association at PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.

Online condolences and other remembrances may be sent by visiting www.gardfuneralhome.com.