Lee R. Hardesty, age 73, of Horicon, died on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at UW Madison Hospital.
The visitation will be at Murray Funeral Home in Horicon on Monday, June 14, 2010 from 10:00 AM until 12:00 Noon. The funeral service will follow at the funeral home on Monday at 12:00 Noon. After the service, there will be time for fellowship and lunch at Old Hickory Golf Club in Beaver Dam. Cremation will follow.
Lee Roy Hardesty was born on March 11, 1937 to Bennie and Florence (Osborn) Hardesty in Tuttle, Oklahoma. On December 4, 1954, he was united in marriage with Joy Cruzan in Oklahoma. Lee was a graduate of Oklahoma State where he received his degree in engineering. He started his career in 1960 in Waterloo, Iowa, working for John Deere. Lee was transferred to Horicon in 1974, where he has made his home ever since. While working for John Deere, he was the team engineer for the factory tractor pulling team and was one of the lead engineers for the snowmobiling development and racing program. Lee enjoyed his career as an engineer but his true passion was farming. It started as a child, when he helped his father on the family farm, and as an adult, he started his own hobby farm in Horicon. After Lee”s retirement, farming became his full-time job, harvesting wheat, beans and corn. He was a collector of motorcycles and enjoyed his many trips to Japan. Lee was a handyman and enjoyed wood working. He even built his own home, laying all 17,000 bricks himself.
Lee will be missed by his wife, Joy of Horicon, children, Rodney (Toby) of Marysville, WA, Keith (Lisa) of Highland Village, TX, and Terry (Kristen) of Columbus, grandchildren, Ben (Racquel) of Lubbock, TX, Jackson of McKinney, TX, Rianna of Madison, and Conner and Autumn, both of Columbus, step grandchildren, Becky and Jessie, a brother, T.C. of Dallas, TX, mother-in-law, Bernice Cruzan of Tuttle, OK, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law, Lee Cruzan, and brother, Paul Hardesty.
Memorials may be made to a charity of one”s choice.
The Murray Funeral Home, 716 Clinton Street in Horicon, is caring for the family. To leave condolences, for directions, or for other information, please visit our website at www.MurrayFH.com.
Visitation Details
Monday, June 14th, 2010, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Service Details
Monday, June 14th, 2010, 12:00pm