Ian William Hardie

Dr. Ian William Hardie of Nellysford, Virginia passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 5th, 2026 in the company of his loving wife Susan Steele Hardie, his devoted daughter Elizabeth Iwakura and his lovely grand-daughter Mia Iwakura at the age of 88. Ian was born on March 5th, 1938 in Modesto, California, the third son of Ian Winans Hardie and Lorena “Billie” Hardie. He enjoyed an active life on the family ranch, assuming responsibility beyond his years for much of its operation while participating in football, basketball and the band at Downey High School. He spent his summers, when the harvest permitted, as a counselor at Camp Jack Hazard with his beloved sisters Janet and Judie, introducing campers from across the agrarian Central Valley to the wonders of the Sierra mountains.

Ian took his love of agriculture and education with him through his academic career, beginning at Modesto Junior College then graduating from University of California, Davis, culminating in 1965 with a Doctorate in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. His academic pursuits took him east to the University of Connecticut, where he met Sue, a winsome French teacher who he courted in a whirlwind romance. Their Halloween blind date was precipitously followed by a Valentine’s Day engagement and a wedding the ensuing August. Dr. Hardie then took his new bride and first child, Richard, south to the Old-Line State to continue his professional journey at the University of Maryland’s Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics. His distinguished career at the University of Maryland spanned over 30 years and more than 25 peer-reviewed publications, which the institute recognized by deeming him a Professor Emeritus.

He was soon blessed by his second child, the chubby cheeked apple of his eye, when his daughter Elizabeth joined the family. He was a loving father, always ready to set aside his research to take his son for a driving test or help his daughter pilot a moving truck halfway across the country. He balanced his intellectual pursuits with his favorite sport, handball, winning a state doubles championship and handyman projects, such as building a deck on the back of the family home in Columbia, Maryland.

Upon retiring, he moved to Nellysford Virginia, designing his dream home in the bucolic grounds of the Wintergreen resort. He continued the Hardie family tradition of public service, volunteering as an ambulance driver for

Wintergreen Rescue and working for Habitat for Humanity and the Nelson County Food bank in between visits from his two adored grandchildren, Mia and Taiki. He also enjoyed playing bridge, hiking the mountain trails and sitting at the head of the dining room table listening bemusedly to the flow of Japanese between his son-in-law, Yuji and daughter-in-law Wanda.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Estates, notably Gail, Shardae, and Walter and all of his friends and companions from Wintergreen for the care and compassion they showed Ian and Sue during his final days.

There will be a celebration of life beginning at 1200 Noon on August 12, 2026 at Blue Mountain Brewery, 9519 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton, VA 22920. For questions, please email [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Wintergreen Fire & Rescue (https://www.wtgfireresq.org/donate) or the Nelson County Pantry (https://nelsoncountypantry.org/how-you-may-contribute/)