Col. Lee Hardy

BOSSIER CITY, LA ? Robert Hardy, age 92, passed away in his sleep at home on Saturday, November 28, 2009 after a stroke that affected his heart. Robert was born in St. Louis, MO on September 21, 1917 and was a graduate of Syracuse University, New York. He entered the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 where he earned a commission and pilot wings. Per a 1965 article in The Military Times, ?He completed 10,000 hours of military flight time, a feat rarely accomplished during a military career with 4,800 of those in the B-52.? In addition, he completed 65 ?Arc Light? combat missions in Southeast Asia and logged time in a variety of aircraft ranging from the Beech C-45 Navigator, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Boeing B-47 Strato-jet and B52G. He retired as a Colonel after 28 years then retired again from Bay Area Rapid Transit in Livermore, CA after seven years. Following his second retirement in 1978, Robert and his family settled in Haughton then Bossier City. Robert is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Docia; two daughters, Karyn Levin-Hayden and husband, Alf of Little Rock, AR and Patricia Hardy Egan and husband, Greg of Flowery Branch, GA; three grandsons Jeremy Koehler, Jason Koehler and Duke Kelso, Jr.; three granddaughters Dawn Kelso Cricchio, Kirstin and Katrina Egan; five great grandchildren and one brother Jack Hardy of St. Louis, MO. He was an officer, gentleman and a leader who lived his life to the fullest and earned the respect of all those who knew and loved him. Your song is gone but your melody will linger on as you continue to fly with the eagles. We will miss you.