Haines, Baker County, Oregon
Betty Marie Hardman, 83, a longtime Baker City resident, died March 14, 2005, at her home surrounded by friends and family.
Her memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Haines United Methodist Church. Sally Wiens of the church will officiate. There will be a lunch reception afterward at the church. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery during a private family service at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
Visitations will be from 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock tonight and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave.
Betty was born on Feb. 12, 1922, at Baker City to Benjamin and Laura Emele. She spent her life in the Baker and Burnt River valleys, except for the time she traveled with her husband during World War II. Betty grew up in the Muddy Creek area and later moved to Haines. She was a 1940 graduate of Muddy Creek High School and also of Baker Business College.
Her greatest interests were piano, gardening, birds, fishing and camping. Her pets were constant companions. Betty loved traveling with her daughter and son-in-law.
She was a lifelong musician and played the piano for churches at Unity and Haines. She was a member of the Baker United Methodist Church and the Haines United Methodist Church.
She also was active in 4-H. Her legacy is her family. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren because they were the absolute joy of her life.
She married Wally E. Hardman on March 18, 1943. Betty and Wally were partners in cattle ranching for many years at Unity and Baker Valley.
They purchased a franchise from Blitz Weinhard Inc. and for a number of years operated Hardman Distributing of Baker. Upon selling the distributorship, they returned to ranching at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains.
Betty also worked in the business offices of Basche-Sage Hardware. For 15 years she worked as a dispatcher for the Oregon State Police headquarters in Baker City. She retired from the state position in 1979 and spent many years actively involved in the Baker County and Baker City Garden Club, which she served as president for three years.
She is survived by her two children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was a very loving and caring mother and grandparent. She will be remembered for her humor, love and compassion. She was very close to her family and she was very proud of them.
Survivors include her son, W. David Hardman and his wife, Paula, of Lynden, Wash.; her daughter, Roxy G. Hardman Ulrey and her husband, Don, of Baker City; six grandchildren, Jennifer and Benjamin of Bellingham and Lynden, Wash., Bradley and Justin of Salem, Jake of Baker City and Julee, who attends Eastern Oregon University at La Grande; six great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Kavika, Tanner, Megan, Mckennah and Lacey; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wally; her parents, Benjamin and Laura; and brothers, David and Gene, who died when she was a young child.
Memorial contributions may be made to Guardian Home Care and Hospice, Blue Mountain Humane Association and the Haines United Methodist Church Memorial Garden Fund through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, March 18, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor