Chris Hardy

May peace be your journey, my sweet brother   March 28, 1943 ~ January 23, 2010 

After 66 years of life, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother
and friend, John Christopher Hardy, passed away on January 23,
2010 from Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease at the Motion Picture
Home in Calabasas. A lifelong resident of the San Fernando
Valley, Chris was born in Los Angeles on March 28, 1943 to
Howard "Cap" and Marian Hardy. One who loved to be
surrounded by people, his Van Nuys home was always filled with
friends from St. Elisabeth Elementary School to Notre Dame High
and Van Nuys High. Chris raised his children in Van Nuys as
well, and spent his working years in Local 683 as a Lab Technician
at MGM and a Negative Cutter at Kona Cutting in Hollywood.
Initiated into the union in 1966 his career spanned nearly 38 years
before his retirement in 2004, when he was diagnosed with
Alzheimer's Disease.
Chris is lovingly survived by his wife, Avis, daughter, Kristy
McClafferty and husband, Finn, sons Jim, Dean and wife Maria,
grandchildren, Christopher, Kayla and Kaden, sisters, Lynne
Mook and Cheryl Phillips and numerous nieces and nephews. He
is preceded in death by his parents Howard and Marian Hardy
and his granddaughter, Taylor Marie Moss.
Our family would like to send a special thanks to the caregivers at
the Motion Picture Long Term Care Hospital.
The unparalleled compassion these employees show to those in
their care, sets an industry standard that should be modeled by all.
We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the family and
friends who have been with us during these difficult years. We
would also like to thank everyone in attendance today for taking
this opportunity to celebrate Chris’s life with us. Your presence is
a testament to the joy and friendship he has brought to so many
people’s lives. He is now that “quiet angel” helping his beautiful
Taylor watch over all of us.
With love,
The Hardy, McClafferty, and Moss families
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations be made
to: The National Endowment for Alzheimer's Research (NEAR),
C/O National Headquarters, P.O. Box 772, Fairfield, CT 06824 or
visit http://www.memorymatters.org. 

John Christopher Hardy
March 28, 1943 ~ January 23, 2010
We remember a life today –
and all that made him the man he was –
his work, his gifts, all that he enjoyed
and found rewarding…..
Calling to mind his beginnings, his journey, and
the wonderful stories we love to share about him.
We honor a life today –
his character, his integrity, his commitment to the
things he stood for – recognizing his good heart,
his sense of humor, and the helping hand he
so often extended to others.
We celebrate a life today –
and all that earned him the love, the admiration, the
respect of family and friends, feeling grateful for our time
with him, enriched for having known him, feeling blessed
to have his remarkable spirit here among us forever.

My brother's battle with Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease is finally over. He left this world peacefully this morning, January 23rd at the Motion Picture Home in Calabasas with family and friends coming to say their goodbyes all afternoon.

Cheryl,

I'm so sorry to hear of Chris's passing, but I'm sure he's in a much better place where all that knew him here will welcome him to eternal life here after. I know  your immediate family and friends are left with a hole that will be very hard to fill, but somehow that hole will be filled with the love of his memory.

Terry Coultas

Just went to the website and found out about Chris Hardy, awe shit this is a tough winter for us Caribou. He'd been circling the herd for the last few years, He finally found his  opening and took it!  God bless him and his family, we'll miss him......... Tim Donnelly

\

I'll never forget the Hardy's welcoming home on Gilmore Street in Van Nuys. There was Howard, ("Cap") and Marian, and their 3 kids, Carolyn, Chris, and Cheryl. I went through St Elisabeth School with Cheryl, so her brother and sister seemed much older, even though it was only two (Chris) and four (Carolyn) years. But Chris was always such a friendly guy to me and all of Cheryl's "American Bandstand" teenage friends. He would even talk to us in the schoolyard, (an unheard of thing for upperclassmen to do). After high school I didn't see much of Chris, but I always heard great things form Cheryl about him working at the studios. I last saw Chris at Cheryl's 60th birthday party. He looked happy and seemed to recognize everyone, but I guess his illness was already taking its toll. I'll always remember him as a handsome guy with charming smile and a easy going manner, (always wearing Levis and a Pendleton shirt). 

Veda and I send our best to Avis, Cheryl, Carolyn, and the family at this difficult time. 

Requiascat in pace

May he rest in peace

Gene Meyer

I remember growing up on Victory & Tyrone and going over every day after school to the Brewster's or the Atkinson's. We would ride our bikes down to the end of Gilmore and turn around. I noticed a guy who went to St Elisabeth lived there. Chris was much older (3 years) than me but he still said Hi and had a neat Schwinn ( I had a J C Higgins) bike. I would see him at school after that and we would always greet each other.
Because of the age difference, we never hung around with the same people. It was after we were both married that we started to play volleyball together. We would go to Vanowen Park every Wednesday for years. Chris was not the player that Avis or Cheryl were but he had a great sense of humor and was fun to be around. We shared many games and beers afterward. It was so sad to hear that he was sick, but I think he is in a better place now. He brightened my life and I will miss him.
Jeff Meyer 

In addition to knowing him from early childhood, I worked with Chris in the '50's and '60's for the Vacarro family, San Fernando Valley distributors of the LA Times.  He was always a great coworker and friend, 24/7, and at Vacarro's, that's what it usually was. My sympathies go to Cheryl, Avis, and all his family.

Tom Campbell

Former Gilmore St. Resident

I was a tweener, between Cheryl and Chris at St. Elisabeth’s.  Although only a year ahead of me, Chris seemed much more mature and older than our class. He was the ultimate “cool guy” of our era, quiet and a little mysterious, but always friendly.  When the Campbell’s moved to Aunt Mary’s house on Gilmore and it became our hangout, Chris would stop by occasionally to shoot the breeze, or to show us his most recent car or motorcycle. I remember how excited I was one time when he brought over a Triumph with a side-car and gave me a ride.... a thrill ride! 
The Leahy family sends our deepest sympathy.
 Pat Leahy