Ralph E. Hardesty

Ralph E. Hardesty, 91, of Longmont, CO passed away July 16, 2018 at his home on his 68th wedding anniversary. He was born May 12, 1927 to Ernest and Mildred Hardesty in Johnstown, CO where he grew up. Ralph was the youngest boy of 7 children. On July 16th, 1950 he married Joyce Wilson of Berthoud, CO. They had two children, Sharon (Larry) Kelderman and David Hardesty, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. In May of 1928 when he was 13 months old his family was in the Johnstown Cyclone. His sister said the oven door came off and was flying around in the house before the house was broken apart and they were all picked up by the Cyclone and scattered in different directions. All they had left were some chickens with only a few feathers left. When Mildred saw the Cyclone coming she sat the family in a circle and prayed for their protection. Her prayers for her family were answered. The Great Depression began the following year, making it very hard for them to survive. Ralph often told the story of the night when all they had to eat for dinner was their pet rabbit for seven people. His Dad would walk to the GW Sugar Factory at all three shift changes and stand in line hoping to get hired. After a long period of time he finally did. Ralph attended Johnstown schools through 9th grade and then left school to help support his family and the World War II efforts in which his brother Claude was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. At age 77, Ralph and his brother Clyde were granted high school diplomas as part of Operation Recognition, a program that grants high school diplomas to World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans who sacrificed their high school education to serve their country. His brother Claude also received his high school diploma posthumously.Ralph worked on many farms in the Johnstown area, the GW Sugar Factory and the Great Western Railroad. He worked for the railroad as a locomotive fireman until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1952. Ralph served two years, one stateside and one in North Korea during the Korean War. He was a locomotive engineer taking troops to the front lines and bringing back those who had lost their lives, transporting napalm bombs and other weapons, equipment, supplies and other necessities. In 1961 Ralph and his family relocated to Boulder, CO where they lived until 2003. He worked at the University of Colorado in the audio visual dept. for eleven years from 1961 to 1971. Mesa Vista Sanitarium in Boulder had a wing for Navajo children brought from the Reservation who had tuberculosis. When they were no longer contagious, the children were allowed to go out into homes a day at a time to get acquainted with the white man's ways. Christmas day, 1962 the Hardesty family shared their Christmas with two little ones 2 and 3 years old. The family fell in love with them and continued to have many children in their home as often as possible. The Sanitarium wing closed in 1965 and the children were sent back to the Reservation. From 1965 on they used their vacations to take loads of food, clothing, bedding, Coleman lanterns, bicycles, etc. and meeting the needs of the Navajo families. People generously donated items for them to take. In 1971 they left the University and began full time ministry. They founded Worship The Son Ministries and continued their visits to the Reservation and also began preaching and teaching, holding tent meetings, VBS, etc. They made their own tracts and did street ministry as well. When they were no longer able to go to the Reservation, they continued to minister from Colorado, and Ralph continued to go out on the streets in Boulder and Longmont and bring people to Jesus. He took the children from their church out on the streets to learn to do this, too. Their relationship with the Navajos continues to this day, and they have had many Navajos traveling to Colorado to visit including World War II Code Talkers. In 1976 Ralph and Joyce survived The Big Thompson Flood. Ralph enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and spending time with his grandchildren. Ralph is survived by his wife Joyce Hardesty of Longmont, daughter Sharon Kelderman (Larry) of Erie, grandchildren Rhonda Witte, Sarah Hardesty, Matthew Hardesty, Joshua Kelderman, Rachel Folger (Uriah), Charity Weins and great grandchildren Michael Hardesty, Branden Hardesty, Mitchell Weins, Delilah Weins, Faith Folger, and Floreece Folger. They currently attend Front Range Fellowship in Longmont, CO. The memorial service is at 11:00 AM, Tuesday July 24, 2018 at Summit Foursquare Church in Longmont. The visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Reception to follow the service.Memorials may be directed to Navajo Ministries at PO Box 1230, Farmington, NM 87499-1230. Navajo Ministries helps to meet the physical, emotional, educational and spiritual needs of Navajo children and their families through programs that instill hope, restoration and Christian values.