Eugene ‘Gene’ Hardy

DEER GROVE — Eugene "Gene" Chelca Hardy, 96, of Deer Grove died peacefully at Rock River Hospice and Home in Sterling on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018.

Gene was born Nov. 12, 1932, in rural Deer Grove to Edmund and Amy (Crystal) Hardy. Gene was the eighth of nine siblings. In his early years, he worked on the Hardy family farm until going to work at Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling. He was united in marriage to Evelyn Elizabeth Sanner on Jan. 11, 1941, in Clinton, Iowa. Together they raised five daughters.

After the Wire Mill, Gene worked as an auto mechanic in Oregon and Sterling, Ill. He then served in the U.S. Army in World War II as a rifle marksman in Italy from 1944 to 1945 in Company K338th Infantry Division. He earned the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantry Medal, Automatic Rifle Bar, Sharp Shooters Medal and Machine Gun Bar.

After returning from military service, Gene and his wife Evelyn moved the family back to Deer Grove to the Hardy family farm and began farming. In 1954, Gene and Evelyn bought the farm that he has continued to live on until present. Gene and Evelyn lived and worked on their farm, raising livestock and crops until his retirement in 1996. In addition to farming several farms, Gene did custom combining of crops in his local area. He served as Drainage Commissioner for Hamilton Township for many years and enjoyed restoring an antique 1939 Bradley Tractor. He loved watching wrestling and was an avid NASCAR follower.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Evelyn, after 62 years of marriage; five brothers, Harry, Clint, Lester, Russell and Raymond; three sisters, Pearl Seible, Emma Howes and Bessie Mungor; one grandson, Louis Brechon; one great-grandson, Tyler Clark; and one son-in-law, Harold Andersen.

He is survived by his five daughters, Betty Andersen of Ohio, Ill., Bonnie (Robert) Mattingly of Deer Grove, Virginia (Joseph) Brechon of Dixon, Peggy Brechon (Joel Peterson) of Mokena and Gale (David) Clark of Evans, Colo.; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren, with one additional great-great-grandson expected early next year.

Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at the Garland Funeral Home in Walnut. The funeral will follow at 10:30 a.m. with the Rev. Brian Moore, pastor of the First Christian Church of Walnut, officiating. Burial, with military honors, will conclude at the Walnut Cemetery.

A memorial has been established to Rock River Hospice and Home and to the First Christian Church of Walnut.

Online condolences may be left at www.garlandfuneralhome.com.