Ruth Hardwick

Ruth Willis Hardwick
August 2, 1921 ? April 17, 2006

Ruth Willis Hardwick, 84, of Waco, passed away Monday, April 17, 2006, at a local hospital.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., on Thursday, April 20, at the Lake Shore Church of Christ with Mr. Neil Cosgrove officiating, assisted by Mr. Ernie Christie. Burial will follow in the White Rock Cemetery near Ross.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at the OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd. A memorial video honoring her life will be shown continuously during the visitation.

Ruth was born in Hill County on August 2, 1921, the sixth of nine children of Henry and Estelle (Herbelin) Willis. She was reared on farms in the area of Ross, Texas. She attended elementary school at Ross and high school at West. She played basketball on the West Trojanette team during high school and was Captain of the team one year.

She obeyed the gospel at an early age and lived the good life as a Christian. She met Leonard Hardwick in 1939, and they were married in Waco on September 6, 1940. To them were born five children, and she did not work outside the home on any full time basis until the youngest two boys were aged 10 and 12. In 1966, she joined Sears Roebuck on a night time job, and later transferred to warehouse activity until she retired in 1984. She was an avid exerciser, walker, and a long time member of Figure World.

She was a regular blood donor for almost 20 years, having to quit donating when she was attacked by Hodgkin's Disease in 1989.

No couple could ever have lived a more companionate relationship than she and Leonard enjoyed. Her married life has been one of complete perfection. She and Leonard have walked hand in hand throughout 65 years of marriage, working side by side in complete agreement. In fact, neither has ever spoken a cross word to each other. They suffered the loss of their first born girl, Linda Jeanette on April 5, 1962, and their oldest son, Glenn Alan on March 10, 1973, both in car accidents in which both were passengers. Ruth was also preceded in death by her parents, and most recently, by her sister, Janell Hardwick.

Ruth spent her life as a devoted Christian, wife, mother, and grandmother, and has influenced the loves of many other people.

She is survived by her husband, Leonard E. Hardwick; daughter, Judith Elaine McEachern and husband, Jerry of Buna; sons, David Keith Hardwick and wife, Jan of Belton, and Don Stephen Hardwick and wife, Alice of Waco; grandsons, Bradley McEachern, Glenn Hardwick, Jeremy and Patrick Hardwick; granddaughters, Karen (McEachern) Hebert, Helen (Hardwick) Artz Patton, Sharon Hardwick, and six great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be her four grandsons, and Mark Hardwick and Kenneth Willis.

Memorials may be made to the Lake Shore Church of Christ, 2800 Lake Shore Drive, Waco, 76708, or to the American Cancer Society, 1311 North New Road, Waco, TX 76710.