Leora ‘Lee’ Faye Hard, 83, of Hutchinson, KS, entered into the kingdom of Heaven, amid much rejoicing by those gone on before, on April 4, 2023, breaking free from the chains of dementia.
She was born on December 26, 1939, to Lloyd and Ethel Smith in Arion, Iowa. Leora graduated from Dow City Area Community High School in 1958.
After graduation, she went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Leora later worked as a bookkeeper and secretary for Underground Vaults and Storage in Hutchinson, KS, where she worked for 36 years, retiring in 2003. She began her employment in the mine 650’ underground, and ended her career at the corporate offices on Halstead Street. Leora’s picture hangs in the present-day Strataca Underground Salt Museum.
After attending school together for many years, she finally caught the eye of Darrell B. Hard who offered her a ride home, and the rest is beautiful history! Darrell and Leora were married in Carroll, Iowa, on June 21, 1963. They moved to Hutchinson, KS in 1964. Leora and Darrell were blessed with a son, Darren (Christy) Hard and daughter, Monie (Bill) Arnett. Her family continued to grow with two granddaughters, Jordan Brooke (Tyler) Davis and Madison Lee (Brett) Arnett, one grandson, Justin Alan (Acelee) Hard, and four great- grandchildren, Liani, Lincoln, and Graham Davis, and Liylah Arnett.
Leora was actively involved with her family and her community. She was a member of the USD 313 School Board from 1982-84 and served as the treasurer of Rural Water District #4 for over 30 years. Leora belonged to the Women of the Moose Chapter #1371, Hutchinson, serving as the Sr. Regent and Deputy Grand Regent for Kansas in 1998-99. She was a member of Silver Leaf Chapter #464, Order of the Eastern Star, for 38 years. Leora was a Methodist her entire life, and faithfully attended First United Methodist Church of Hutchinson since moving to Hutchinson.
She is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 60 years, Darrell, and all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of the Hutchinson and the surrounding area, as well as sister-in-law, Lois Thompson, and brothers-in-law, Burdette Hard of Iowa and Harold Singbeil of Nevada. She was preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters.
Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at First United Methodist Church, 101 E. 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS, with the Reverend Kent H. Little officiating. Inurnment will follow at Fairlawn Burial Park. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, April 10, 2023, with the family present from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at Elliott Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Leora F. Hard Memorial Fund, in care of Elliott Mortuary and Crematory, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.