Edwin Mark Hardy, age 60, died Tuesday, July 22 2014.
Mark was born October 19, 1953 to Ed and Mary Hardy of Sidney Montana. He grew up on the family farm and dairy near Sidney, and graduated from Sidney High School in 1972. He attended college at Montana State University in Bozeman and graduated in 1977 with a degree in Ag Business. He met Rita Cusker while attending college, and they were married in December of 1976.
Mark worked for the Peavey Elevator in Wolf Point for several years and then was promoted to assistant manager of the Shelby elevator and then manager of the Peavey elevator in Cut Bank Montana. He had a strong desire to succeed, and won trips to Hawaii and Aruba based on his sales figures.
Mark and Rita returned to Wolf Point in 1983 to run the family ranch. Mark liked seeing things grow. He worked on getting irrigation systems set up so there would be moisture even in the dry years, and he loved to see a good field of alfalfa hay. He enjoyed working with the livestock, both cattle and horses, and could talk for hours about his plans for the ranch.
He was a capable do-it-yourselfer and was able to figure out a way to accomplish most fix-it jobs. Children Quinn, Megan, and Vanessa were born and he enjoyed being part of their activities – sports, schoolwork, dance, rodeo and more.
In 1989, Mark and Rita started a small business called Advantage Line from a room in their home. It later moved to an office in Wolf Point, and Then a bigger office in Williston, ND with satellite offices in Glendive, Billings, and Havre, employing 600 people at its peak. In 1994, the family moved to Williston ND to be closer to their business, and the kids attended school in Williston.
Mark was a big fan of rodeo, and spent a lot of time on the road driving the kids to and from high school rodeos. He was National High School Rodeo director for North Dakota for many years and really enjoyed the people he met during that time, both in North Dakota and as a director at the national events. He was very proud of being able to watch all three kids compete at the High School National Finals Rodeo.
Mark retired from Advantage Line in 2005 and started spending more time at the ranch in Wolf Point again, irrigating and making hay. Since then he did business consulting, and worked for Agri-Industries for awhile. He liked to stay abreast of the latest technology and was always interested in business, particularly as it related to agriculture. He enjoyed his kids and was thrilled to have 3 grandchildren. He loved to show off their pictures and to buy them gifts.
Mark is survived by his wife, Rita Hardy, his son, Quinn Hardy, and daughters Megan (Ryan) Helmer, and Vanessa Hardy, and 3 grandchildren, all of Wolf Point.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Mary Hardy and an infant brother.
A rosary will be held 7 p.m. Monday, July 28 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 29 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wolf Point. Interment will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.