Samuel Hardy Duerson Jr.

Hardy was born January 30, 1943 in Washington, DC, the oldest son of Samuel Hardy Duerson of Roanoke, VA and Sarah Redfern Greason Duerson of Wake Forest, NC. He spent his first years in Arlington, VA and accompanied his parents and brother to Europe where his father was stationed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Heidelberg, Germany and Paris, France. Subsequent moves for the family included Marion, OH; Plattsburg, NY; Ankara, Turkey and finally Falls Church, VA. He completed high school at Institute auf dem Rosenberg in St. Galen, Switzerland in 1960, and passed the O and A level exams for Oxford and Cambridge. He attended Hampden Sydney College. After working in naval ship design at the David Taylor Model Basin he chose engineering as his vocation and transferred to Virginia Polytechnic Institute [VPI]. He graduated from VPI [now Virginia Tech] with BS (1967) and ME (1972) degrees in mechanical engineering. While still a student at VPI, he and his first wife, Susan Thomas Duerson, began their family living at Belle Hampton Farm in Dublin, Virginia. Here Hardy developed an appreciation and enjoyment of the outdoors and bird hunting. As a graduate engineer he worked in the nuclear field with Babcock and Wilcox in Lynchburg, VA, and was on the engineering team that assessed the accident damage at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. While working he continued studies in nuclear engineering and obtained an MBA from Lynchburg College. In 1983 a change of jobs brought Hardy and his family to Raleigh, NC. While reluctantly leaving behind good friends in Lynchburg, VA, Raleigh proved to be a wonderful new life. He and his wife of 20 years, Mary Jarvis, enjoyed a blessed life in Raleigh among friends and family and at their special second home on Harker’s Island. He worked in the software and engineering consulting industries as marketing director for several local companies. He also had a passion for investing and was an ardent student of the markets and an active investor. He and Mary Jarvis shared a love for their black Labrador retrievers and attending field trial competitions.

Hardy loved his family and was very proud of his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed the company of many friends and the fellowship of his church, his men’s bible studies and the Kiwanis Club. He served on the Board of Visitors of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was deeply committed to his church, Holy Trinity Anglican, and was devoted in his service to the Lord. He was possessed of a good spirit and good humor and was full of grace and shared that with all who knew him.

Hardy Duerson is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Jarvis Mitchell Duerson; his children: Samuel Hardy Duerson III, of Lynchburg, VA, Bradley Tyler Duerson of Boyce, VA, Katherine Elizabeth Duerson Williamson and her husband, Julian, of Raleigh, NC and their mother, Susan Tyler Thomas Duerson of Lynchburg, VA; his brother, Allen Bruce Duerson and his wife, Peg, of Winchester, VA; and 7 granddaughters.

The family would like to thank with deep appreciation the nurses from Transitions LifeCare (formerly Hospice of Wake County) and the many caregivers for their devotion, kindness and compassionate care.

A celebratory memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, June 27, 2014 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in the chapel at Saint David’s School 3400 White Oak Road, Raleigh, NC, the Reverend John W. Yates officiating. The family will be receiving friends following the service at St. David’s School.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Transitions LifeCare, Holy Trinity Anglican Church or the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh.