Judith Ruth Hardman

She was born in Chicago, Illinois to Lester and Mabel Moers in their home on July 18, 1935. Her siblings include the late Bob Moers, and surviving twin brothers Don (Marlene) Moers and Ron Moers, and her sister, Susan Moers. She graduated from Taft High School and, a year later, married her high-school sweetheart, Fred Hardman, Jr., on August 7, 1954, at the Norwood Park Baptist Church in Chicago. Together, they filled their home with love and laughter, as they immediately began to foster babies through the Evangelical Child and Family Agency. Soon afterward, they were blessed with children: John, Lynne, Carol, Jim, and Jack.

When their youngest child, Jack, was born with severe physical and mental disabilities, they stopped fostering babies for a period of approximately 12 years. Instead, Judi devoted herself to making sure that Jack, and other children like him, had the chance to grow and develop. For years, many volunteers would come to their home each week to help with Jack’s many therapies.

She was the founder of the Northwest Suburban League of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and became a fundraiser, and a legislative lobbyist of the disabled. In 1973, she became a member of the National Woman’s Committee of UCP, and, in 1978, she was awarded “Volunteer of the Year” for Chicago. She held seminars in all the suburban high schools for teens interested in healthcare fields, and she helped to create an awareness of the special needs of disabled children. Judi and Fred began to foster babies again in 1975, eventually welcoming a total of 89 into their home.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother of 14, and great-grandmother of 17.

She is survived by her ever-devoted husband of 68 years, Fred, and her loving children: John DuFour (1955), with Judi’s grandchildren Genevieve (Joshua) Edalgo, Patrick DuFour, and Irene Allen; Lynne (Jay Davis) Mattefs (1959), with grandchildren Chad (Navelle) Mattefs (and great grandchildren Eleanor deceased, Silas, Tanner, Harper, and Rowan), Joshua Davis, and Tyler Davis; Carol (Keith) Taylor (1961), with grandchildren Tricia (Drew) Lindow (and greatgrandchildren Evie, Isla, Selah deceased, and Farrah), Luke (Krista) Taylor, with grandchildren Annie, Adeline, and Elowen), Jessica (Daniel) Hale (and great grandchildren Shepard and Sonora), and Kim Taylor; Jim (Arlene) Hardman (1963), with grandchildren Bethany (Joe) Steigenga (and great grandchildren Oliver and Mia), Melissa Hardman, James (Aubrielle) Hardman (and great grandson Lukas), and Jack Hardman; and Jack Hardman (1963), who lives at the Marklund Hyde Center in Geneva, Illinois.

Friends and family will gather for a wake that will be held at Redemption Bible Church, 505 West Golf Road, Mt. Prospect, Illinois on Sunday, June 4th, from 4 - 7 pm. The funeral service will be at the same location on Monday, June 5th, at 10 am, with a viewing preceding the service from 9 to 9:45 am.

Gifts, in honor of Judi, can be given to the Marklund Hyde Center, 1S450 Wyatt Drive, Geneva, Illinois, 60134, www.marklund.org.