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Thomas Alvin Hardesty, Sr. “Tommy” Died December 12, 2018 at Gilchrist Hospice after a short illness.
Tommy was a man that never met a stranger. His robust and caring personality was apparent the moment you met him. He was a third generation funeral director who honed his compassion, attention to detail and expectation that any and all persons he met or served would be taken care of and cherished.
Born November 17, 1937 in Annapolis, MD he spent his years growing up in his beloved Galesville, MD. He often regaled about his work in the tobacco fields and barns of beautiful “South County”. Not a stranger to hard work in a family business he started working in funeral service at 12 helping his father Bernard O. Hardesty and his grandfather Thomas Hardesty, his name sake, install “tombstones” in many of the small cemetery’s all over MD, DC and even Virginia. Tommy was a graduate of the “Old Southern High School” in 1955. He was awarded a wrestling scholarship to the University of Maryland for two years before attending mortuary school at the American Academy/McAllister Institute in NY, NY. While attending mortuary school he worked in Greenwich Village at the Perazzo Funeral Chapel. He made friends there as he always had that have lasted his entire life. He graduated in 1960 and joined his family business.
In 1963 he married his true love Jacklyn Woolford Hardesty from Annapolis. Tommy and Jackie were inseparable. Jackie pursued a career in Nursing before too joining the family business at the funeral home obtaining her Mortuary Science degree from the then Catonsville Community College. Sadly after only 43 years of marriage Jackie died of breast cancer in 2006. A loss Tommy suffered till this week when they would be reunited. An athlete and outdoors man, Tommy coached youth football for the Annapolis Elks where he and his father were members. Many locals recall the landmark case in the county that Tommy made when he would not allow a child to be forbidden to play due the racial discrimination of the 70’s. A person that could not stand racism of any kind he made everyone welcome in everything he did. Tommy loved hunting, fishing, boating, travel and most of all entertaining at their home with all of his family and friends. There were no strangers and no one was permitted to leave hungry, Jackie was a fabulous cook and both she and Tommy would love to welcome everyone to their home. The crab feasts and pool parties were legendary. Travel was a true love for both Tommy and Jackie; they had friends all over the US, the Islands and Europe. Tommy loved to play Santa Claus for the kids, his generous spirit and laughter made it seem so real.
Tommy was a 3rd degree Mason Annapolis Masonic Lodge 89, Scottish Rite, as well as a member of the Eastern Star where Jackie was a past Grand Matron. Together they love all things Masonic and traveled around to the many functions and events at various Masonic Lodges and Chapter. Memberships also include the Annapolis Kiwanis. Surviving are his children, Kimberly S. Hardesty of Crownsville, MD, Thomas A. Hardesty, Jr. (Amy) of Aurora, CO, his grandchildren Brian (Emily), Courtney, Michael and Caroline. His siblings Bernard “Bo” Hardesty of Grasonville, Joseph “Jerry” Hardesty, and Martha Hardesty, both of Annapolis. He was predeceased by his brother Michael Hardesty.
Jacklyn W. "Jackie" Hardesty, 64, a resident of Edgewater for 30 years, died of breast cancer May 13 at home after a 20-year illness. The daughter of the late Jethro T. "Jack" and Evelyn J. Foster Woolford, Mrs. Hardesty was born Sept. 7, 1941, in Annapolis, where she graduated from Annapolis High School in 1959. Then in 1962, she graduated from Church Home and Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, where she served as class president. Mrs. Hardesty worked as a registered nurse for Dr. Ray Smith in Severna Park at the Hahn Building location. Following the birth of her second child, Thomas A. Hardesty Jr. of Aurora, Colo., she continued working, but on a part-time basis. At the same time, she became more involved in the family business at Hardesty Funeral Home. At age 41, she attended Catonsville Community College School of Mortuary Science, now known as Community College of Baltimore County - Catonsville, where she earned her funeral director and embalming license.
She was a member of Mayo United Methodist Church, Eastern Star Annapolis Chapter 46, where she was past worthy matron, and the Mayo Quilters Club. Her interests included sewing, gardening and travel. In addition to her son, surviving are her husband, Thomas A. Hardesty Sr., whom she married Feb. 23, 1963; one daughter, Kimberly S. Hardesty of Edgewater; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 445 Defense Highway, Annapolis, MD 21401 or The Michael Hardesty Memorial Scholarship Fund, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 3008, Princeton, N.J. 08543-3008
A native of Anne Arundel County and fourth generation funeral director, Kimberly was born in Annapolis in 1964 at the former Anne Arundel General Hospital. Kimberly lived at the Annapolis location until the age of 3 when her family moved to the Homewood section of Annapolis. Kimberly attended Germantown Primary School and Germantown Intermediate School.
At age 12, Kimberly's family moved to Mayo, MD and she attended Severn School for one year before transferring to Central Middle School. Kimberly graduated from South River High School in 1982, and then went on to complete Catonsville Community College's Mortuary Science program and become a licensed Mortician in 1985.
Jim joined the firm as general manager in 2000. Since that time Jim has expanded the outreach of the funeral home by establishing “value added” at all of the locations. Many modifications and improvements have been made to the facilities and service options. He started his career in funeral service after a four year tour of duty in the United States Navy Hospital Corps. While stationed at the Bethesda Naval Hospital he worked part time for the Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Home, P.A., Bethesda, MD where he became an apprentice mortician in 1982. He attended the Catonsville Community College, graduating in 1984 and obtained his morticians license in 1985. In 1987 he joined the then Beall Funeral Home in Bowie, MD The firm was sold in 1989 and became the Beall-Evans Funeral Home, changing in 1993 to the Robert E. Evans Funeral Home where Jim became manager in 1997. Jim is a member of the International Society for Performance Improvement, Potomac Chapter where he serves as Vice President of Finance. He was appointed by then Gov. Martin O’Malley in 2014 to serve on the Maryland State Board of Mortician’s and Funeral Directors, reappointed at the end of his first term, Gov. Larry Hogan appointed Jim to the term from 2014-2018. He was voted by the Board to lead as the President in 2017. Jim’s family includes his husband, Jeffrey Jorney a Technical Writer and son Tony who is retired from the United States Navy.