Barbara Jean (Barb) Miller Hardy

Barbara (Barb) Jean Miller Hardy, age 74, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania joined our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven on June 27, 2017 having passed away from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome at Pinnacle Health Harrisburg Hospital.
Barbara was born on her maternal grandparents’ farm in Antis Township, Pennsylvania on Saturday August 29, 1942. She grew up in Tyrone, Pennsylvania and attended its public schools along with a younger brother Lee and sister Luann.
After graduation from Tyrone Area High School in 1960, she entered Shippensburg State College and majored in elementary education. After Barbara received her bachelor degree, she got her first teaching job as a fourth grade teacher in the Lower Paxton Township School District near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. On December 19, 1964, she married Lieutenant Leonard (Len) Hardy, a high school classmate and graduate of the Class of 1964 of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. She embarked on a 28-year adventure as an Army wife residing at numerous duty stations - Fort Carson, Colorado; Augsburg, Germany; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; West Point, New York; Shrivenham, England; Camberley, England; Kitzingen, Germany; Bad Kissingen, Germany; Fairfax, Virginia; Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania and Carlisle, Pennsylvania after retirement. At their first duty station in Colorado, Barb worked in the newly established “Head Start” Program and later taught 5th Grade in her hometown while her husband was in Vietnam.
Over the years, the Army in its wisdom had moved them a total of 24 times (Barbara always claimed she could size up any house and quickly decide if all their possessions would fit). Among their best assignments were Fort Riley, where daughter Kirsten was born and Fort Leavenworth, where son Michael was born. Because of those two events, Kansas has always held a special place in her heart.
Throughout the years Barbara has been an elementary school teacher, a Cub Scout Den Mother, a Brownie Troop Leader, Thrift Shop Volunteer on many Army posts, Story Teller at School Libraries and classrooms, and Organizer of Post-wide Bazaars. Her best job in life was having the privilege of being a “Stay at Home” Mother raising her children. After Len retired from the Army, the Hardys moved into an historic townhouse on West Louther Street - thus fulfilling Barbara’s idea of her dream house. What was to be a one year stay stretched into three years and ended when they moved into a newer home in Carlisle.
Luckily for her, daughter Kirsten, husband Wayne, and grandchildren Anna and James only lived a few blocks away. Barbara adored her grandchildren and her role as a grandmother and spent as much time as possible with her daughter’s family. She tried hard to never miss soccer games, field hockey matches, school band and orchestra concerts as well as any other activities the grandchildren took part in and grandparents can render support as spectators. Son Michael is serving our Nation as an Army Reserve Officer in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and after two tours of duty in the Middle East, is currently assigned to Germany.
For many years Barbara worked at Country Heritage Antiques in Carlisle - a perfect job in her mind because of her love of antique furniture. She was active in the Carlisle Barracks Protestant Women of the Chapel, the Army War College Protestant Chapel where she attended Church, and P.E.O. - a philanthropic organization devoted to raising money for educational scholarships, grants and loans for women. In her spare time, you could find her engaged in gardening, quilting, braiding wool rugs, and reading (a love developed in her by her Mother and Father as a young child) as well as being with her husband, family, and friends.
Barb was predeceased by her mother, Ethel Elizabeth Miller and her father, James Andrew Miller. She is survived by her devoted husband of 52 + years, Len; her daughter, Kirsten (Wayne) Crawford; Grandchildren - Anna Catherine Crawford (Age 14) and James Keegan Crawford (age 12); her son, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Hardy; brother, Lee (Joy) Miller, and sister, Luann (Wayne) Robison.
Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, July 5th at the Hoffman Funeral Home, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA. Funeral Services will be on Thursday, July 6th at 1:30 PM at the Army War College Memorial Chapel, Carlisle Barracks, PA with Chaplain David Reese (Col. US Army Ret.) officiating. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the Hardy family requests that contributions be made “In Memory Of” Barbara to the P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education. Donation forms can be downloaded by going online at the P.E.O. International website and clicking on “Giving Opportunities.”
To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com