Carol R. Hardesty, 87
DOVER - Carol R. Hardesty passed away peacefully on August 8, 2020 at the Country Rest Home in Greenwood. Carol loved traveling the world, with her husband they drove around the whole United States and Alaska in one summer. They went on many trips and cruises that took her all the way to Australia and New Zealand and all around central Europe together. She loved skiing in the Alps and swimming in the Mediterranean, fossil hunting and collecting arrowheads to name a few.
Carol was an avid arts and crafts enthusiast, making all kinds of dolls and stuffed animals and a wide variety of other collectables that she would sell at the many yard sales they would put on at their home. She loved wood carving, especially waterfowl along with her sister Geraldine. They went to many wood carving fairs together and collected many specimens. Carol loved hiking in the mountains and camping. For many years they had a place on Chincoteague Island in Virginia. There she and Ben boated, fished, crabbed and clammed; she loved the Island and had many fond memories of friends and family.
From 1955 to 1959 she worked at Edwards Air Force Base in California at the Flight Test Engineering Division as a steno clerk. She then went to Europe for the next several years, following her husband in the military. She worked as a library assistant at Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan from 1964 to 1966. Then in 1966 she transferred to Northfield, Minnesota and was a school secretary at Sibley Elementary School. Transferring with her husband again to Dover, Del. she got a state job with South Dover Elementary School from 1968-1991 as the Senior Secretary helping little ones get a start on life. She worked for the Kent County Elections as a greeter and counter. She was a librarian for a few years in Michigan while her husband was away on duty. She did many volunteer hours at Kent General Hospital.
Carol loved being involved with her kids and enjoyed going to horse shows and being around horses with her daughter Lynn and was a nervous wreck attending motorcycle races her son Scott was involved in. She loved her grandchildren and was always there to give advice or help them in any way, teaching them valuable life skills. She was an expert shot and could shoot a squirrel at a hundred yards with a 22 rifle with open sights! She loved game hunting and taught her son how to prepare wild game to cook, right down to skinning frog legs which were a favorite!
She always had a joke or two and was also a prankster and absolutely loved pulling pranks on friends and family, from whoopie cushions to holly leaves stuffed in your shoes! You had to be on your toes when she was entertaining.
Carol loved collecting and has many collectables from around the world. She was even struck by the beanie baby craze and would wait in line for hours to get the latest one.
She loved animals and had a variety of animals she raised and bred, from sheep at an early age to chickens, cats, dogs and had many animal companions, her favorites were her terriers Buster and Tess.
Carol was kind and compassionate and was loved and admired by many people and will truly be missed by all!
Carol is survived by her husband of 65 years, Benjamin T. Hardesty, Jr.; two children, Lynn Harrison and her husband Jim of Kenton and Scott B. Hardesty and his wife Susan of Hartly; step daughter, Pam Small of Virginia Beach, Va.; one sister, Geraldine Berg of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; and two grandchildren, Amanda and Austin.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Alma Schmidtke; and by her sister, Avis Mittwede.
There will be a funeral service at 12 p.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2020 (by invitation only due to COVID-19) at the Pippin Funeral Home, 119 W. Camden Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming, DE 19934 where there will be a viewing from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Tuesday (by invitation only due to COVID-19). A public graveside service will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, 2928 Sharon Hill Road, Dover, DE 19904.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimers Association, Delaware Valley Chapter, 399 Market Street, Suite #102, Philadelphia, PA 19106 or to Millenium Hospice, 1017 Mattlind Way, Suite B, Milford, DE 19963.
Online condolences may be made via www.pippinfuneralhome.com.