Marilyn Julie Hardy

Marilyn was the second born child of Hazel Luella Gorder (nee Anderson) and Ole Raymond Gorder. She spent most of her life in BC, moving here as a child. After completing high school in Quesnel, BC, she married Ernest Leonard Nygaard of Bella Coola, BC  in 1964, with whom she had two children, Vicki Leanne, born in 1964, and Adrian Ernest, born in 1968. She left this relationship in 1973, moving briefly to Whitehorse Yukon, demonstrating her strength, courage, and resilience as a single parent and divorcee. Marilyn and her children moved to Kamloops BC in 1974, and she went on to meet the love of her life, Peter Walter Hardy, through mutual friends.

Peter and Marilyn married and built a satisfying life together in Kamloops, where Marilyn worked for nearly 30 years for the City of Kamloops, mainly doing clerical work for the RCMP detachment. It was there that Marilyn developed many close friendships; ones she maintained long after she retired.

The Hardy’s built a cabin overlooking Shuswap Lake at Anglemont, where most of their time was spent when they weren’t at home in Kamloops. Over the decades, the cabin hosted its fair share of “Wild Women Weekends” and family events.  Many toasts were made, songs sung, and grandchildren cuddled.

Besides her deep love for her children Vicki and Adrian, her husband Peter, her siblings, Carol, Janet, and Brian, and her many friends, what gave Marilyn’s life purpose and pure joy was the birth of her grandchildren Freja and Phoenix, and then Michelle and Dallin. There was never a more involved and loving “grama”. Marilyn even took early retirement so she could free up her time to take the grandchildren for lengthy stays at the cabin or to visit them for extended periods at their own houses.  

Marilyn shared her love of sewing, beading, and crafting with her grandchildren, spending days at a time, teaching them to how to make Christmas ornaments, teddy bear clothes, sweet presents for their parents, snacks, and other treasures. Marilyn made the most wonderful Halloween costumes for the kids, taking incredible joy in their excitement as they opened the package to see exactly what they had asked for. Whether it was a wizard costume, or a snow leopard, or Snow White… they were all beautifully detailed and made with love.

After the grandchildren grew up, Marilyn and Peter spent a great deal of their later years with Marilyn’s sister Carol and her husband, Ron Erickson, cruising to Alaska, travelling in Europe, gambling in the US, and volunteering and relaxing during months-long stays in Margaritaville (Mexico).  

Marilyn will always be remembered for her loyalty, humour, and stubbornness, but mainly, for her enormous generosity. In that vein, in lieu of flowers or donations, please do something in the spirit of Marilyn: buy a coffee or a sandwich or warm cup of soup for a person sitting on the sidewalk or give someone in need a $5 bill, a blanket, or a coat. She never once walked by a person in need without stopping to say hello and give them whatever was in her purse or pocket. When you do this in memory of Marilyn, please look the person in the eye, smile, and tell them it’s from Marilyn Hardy. Wherever she may be now, your small act of kindness will make her happy.  

Left to mourn that the world has lost one of its most compassionate souls is her husband, Peter, her children Vicki and Adrian (Tanya), her beloved grandchildren Freja (Raven), Phoenix, Michelle, and Dallin, her sisters Carol and Janet, her in-laws Ron, Anne, Ron, and Susan, her nieces and nephews, Regan, Helena, Dorian, Heather, Patti, Catherine, David, Cheryl, Lawrence, Wade, Stacy, Karri, Dereck, Todd, Aishah, Rafe, Hazel, and Allyson, her best friends Dolly and Vita, and many, many others who were privileged over the years to share a laugh, a glass of wine, and a plate of nachos. Marilyn is predeceased by her parents and her brother, Brian Raymond Gorder, and his wife, Terri-Lynn.

A “hootenanny” to celebrate the life of this wonderful woman will be held in Summer 2024.

Rest in Peace Marilyn/Mom/Grama/Mermaw – We miss you so much and we will love you forever.