Arthur Edward Hardin

A. Edward Hardin Sr., a retired attorney, a native of Vicksburg, Miss., and a resident of Baton Rouge, peacefully passed away at his home Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2011. He was a loving father, husband and grandfather; an accomplished scholar and academic; and well-respected attorney. He is survived by wife of 43 years, Marybelle Grimes Hardin; sons, Edward Jr. and wife Nancy Ferrell, of Baton Rouge, Sean and wife Maureen Shipley, of St. Louis, Mo., and Harry and wife Emily Stevens, of Old Metairie. Ed and Marybelle have six grandchildren, Brendan, Patrick, Sarah, Seamus, Kiernan and Maura. He is also survived by two brothers and a sister, Harry F. Hardin and wife Linda, of Alexandria, Va., Ann Hardin Jackson and husband Tommy S. Jackson, of Jackson, Miss., and the Very Rev. John S. Hardin, O.F.M., of Oakland, Calif.; a brother-in-law, John P. Grimes Jr., of Nashville, Tenn.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Sproule Hardin and Francis Fisher Hardin; and his in-laws, John Patrick Grimes and Susan Proby Grimes. He was a graduate of St. Aloysius High School, Vicksburg, Miss., Loyola University, New Orleans; LSU; and the LSU Law Center. He was inducted into the LSU Law Center Hall of Fame. He was most proud of his family, his sons and their families, and the they way they lived their lives. He was always caring, fierce and tenacious about his family and beliefs, especially in the area of justice for the "least." Faith, family and education were always at the forefront. Always a scholar, he edited and reviewed numerous books and scholarly articles, including two books on Catholic social teaching with the author, the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J. He was an active member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church for many years, and served as chairman of the Parish Council and its successor the Parish Council of Ministries. He was active on the St. Aloysius Finance and Social Justice Committees. In the Baton Rouge community, he was the mental health officer for the 19th Judicial District Court and was a member of the Louisiana Crime Victim's Reparations Board. He was past president of the Louisiana Hospital Attorney's Association and served on several area nonprofit boards. He was the former chairman of the board for the Mental Health Association of Greater Baton Rouge and Alzheimer's Services of the Capitol Area. Much of his legal practice was in the area of mental health and the struggle for the dignity and rights of the mentally ill. He served the state of Louisiana as assistant clerk of the Louisiana House of Representatives for several years, and as assistant clerk and records historian for the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1973. Following the Constitutional Convention, he directed the Louisiana Constitutional Convention Records Commission, which compiled and edited the record of the convention in a single year. He was director of the Legislative Bureau for 2 years. He was an active attorney for a number of years, was admitted to, and took a case to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was a former history professor and an adjunct professor of law at LSU. He was clever, funny and had a dry wit. These qualities helped him make difficult issues bearable, and he was always the first to bring about a laugh in tense situations. He never lost his sense of humor or his sense of irony and never suffered fools lightly. Special thanks to Mrs. Verlie Pope and her staff and to Dr. W. Patrick Gahan, Dr. Mark Zielinski, Dr. Joseph Deumite, Dr. Carl Sheeley and their terrific staffs. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2025 Stuart Ave., on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m., celebrated by the Very Rev. John S. Hardin, O.F.M. Visitation at St. Aloysius on Friday, Sept. 16, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and resume Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pallbearers will be the Honorable James J. Brady, Larry Dietz, Steve Lefeaux, Tommy Pierce, Colen Rojas and M. Gordon Stevens III. Honorary pallbearer is the late Professor W. Lee Hargrave. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge or Manresa House of Retreats in Convent. The funeral is under the direction of Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St.