John Edward Hardy

John Edward Hardy died Friday, Aug. 13, 2010, of a heart attack. He was born on April 3, 1922. A graduate of LSU, he held an master's degree from the State University of Iowa and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. Professor, critic, scholar and poet, he enjoyed a career that touched on six decades teaching in a number of universities, including Yale, the University of Detroit, University of Oklahoma, University of Notre Dame, University of Munich (as a Fulbright Professor), University of South Alabama and University of Missouri-St. Louis. At the time of his retirement in 1992, he had been in the English department of the University of Illinois-Chicago for 20 years, serving for the past five as head of the department. A student of Cleanth Brooks at LSU, he co-authored with Professor Brooks "The Poems of Mr. John Milton" and thus began his career as a Miltonist, but he was to write widely on modern English and American literature. Among his works are "The Curious Frame," "Man in the Modern Novel" and books on Katherine Anne Porter and Walker Percy, as well as numerous articles and reviews and a volume of poetry, "Certain Poems." In later years, he was assembling material for a proposed work, "Man, Beast, and Others in Modern Fiction," a project grounded in his respect and love for all life and his interest in the relationships among its many forms. He was fascinated by words and word play, whether in James Joyce's "Ulysses," on the Scrabble board, or in conversation. He often marveled that he had spent his life doing the thing that he loved best, talking about literature, and being paid for it. He also enjoyed golfing and playing poker, discussing any and everything, and observing people. He shared his observations in memorably vivid descriptions of the most casual encounters. He leaves a large and loving family: his wife of 41 years, Willene Schaefer Hardy, of Baton Rouge; daughters and sons-in-law: Margot Ferguson, of Kansas City, Leonore and David Dvorkin, of Denver, Cathy and Didier Pouligny, of La Ferte Mace, France, and Laura and Keith Christensen, Anne and George Biswell and Eve and Bob Shaw, all of Kansas City; grandchildren, Lisa Llamas, Zara Ferguson-Holsted, Keziah Morgan, Daniel Dvorkin, Audrey Pouligny, Adrien Pouligny, Ruth Ellebracht, Ben Biswell, Elliot Biswell, Roy Moss, Lana Manasco, Allison Joiner, Kelsey Joiner and Carly Joiner; sister-in-law, Effie Hardy, of Baton Rouge; nephew and wife Don Hardy and Marilyn Jones Hardy, of Denver; niece, Marcie Hardy, of Baton Rouge; and nine great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his first wife, Marie Elam Hardy, with whom he remained friends. A visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Tuesday, Aug. 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Unitarian Church, 8470 Goodwood, on Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 2 p.m. Interment will be at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders or the ASPCA.