Obituary: Gerald Hagan ‘Gerry’ Hardin, 77, Bardstown
Gerald Hagan “Gerry” Hardin, 77, of Bardstown, died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at Baptist Health Hardin. He was born April 16, 1947, in Bardstown to the late Francis Joseph and Mary Catherine Hardin.
He excelled at precision driving from high school 4-H tractor driving contests, Farm-All farming on his family dairy farm, to cross country freight hauling for more than 20 years. He proudly served to protect the United States during the Vietnam War in the U.S. Marine Corps as an avionics radar navigation technician.
He graduated from Bardstown High School in 1965 with many classmates that started kindergarten with. As a 7th grader, he was a member of the first integrated class at Bardstown High School where he made many lifelong friends. At the age of 42, he graduated from Murray State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He served as the Recreation Director in both Bardstown and Lebanon. He worked in several medical facilities helping individuals with drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and closed head injuries.
For more than 30 years he traveled, made friends, and competed with his beloved “Little Show-Off” two-wheel drive pulling truck. In the last 40 years of his life, he was been known for his yellow LSO shirts and black cowboy hat. He enjoyed International tractors, Cub Cadet lawn mowers, Peterbilt big trucks, Jeeps, Chevy trucks, and muscle cars.
He was loved by many from all over the country. He will be missed dearly by his friends and family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Denise Kerr and Barbara Joe Hardin Brown; one brother, Donald Hardin; and one brother-in-law, Jack Brown.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Susan B. Hardin; one daughter, Sarah (Nathanial) Ballard; two sons, Daniel (Catherine) Hardin and Aaron (Adrienne) Hardin; one sister, Regina Denis of Bardstown; five grandchildren, Brooke Hardin, Matthew Hardin, Natalie Ballard, Mary Catherine Hardin, and Joseph Daniel “JD” Hardin, all of Bardstown; and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The funeral is 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home with burial in Bardstown Cemetery.
Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, at the funeral home.
The Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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