Oliver Carlos Hardy Jr.

Oliver C. Hardy Jr. Born: June 3, 1923 in Los Angeles, California He graduated from high school at Fairfax High school in Los Angeles, CA in 1941. His further education includes a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Chapman College, and a Master of Business Administration degree in management from Golden Gate College. He married LaVonne Stewart in Oakland, CA on April 6, 1947. They have been married for 72 years. They have two sons Michael & Brant Hardy; four grandchildren Danica, Audrey, Kyle, and Stephan; and five great grandsons Becker, Corbin, Leifur, Marbjorn, and Othinn. During his career he worked six years in Europe in the Netherlands, England, Spain and Germany as an engineering consultant attached to an Air Force reconnaissance wing. He was the engineer in charge of electronics on all the U-2 spy planes based in various parts of Europe. When he returned to the states, he was an engineer at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, CA for 13 years. He left his position there to become the Director of Engineering and Development at NASA in Houston TX, contributing to the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle program and the Skylab Program. He became a Mason in 1955 in Monrovia, CA. He was Master of Sydney Croft Lodge in Brookings, and Rogue River Lodge in Grants Pass, OR. He was Worthy Patron for Eastern Star five times at Josephine Chapter #26 and Rogue River Daylight. Ollie and Vonnie moved to Grants Pass in 1977 where he taught classes in management and business as well as English as a second language at Rogue Community College until he retired in 1990. He passed away June 19, 2019 with ashes to be interned at the columbarium at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Grants Pass.