Cletus "Clet" Hardin

Cletus “Clet” W. Hardin, age 79, of Evansville, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 15, 2011 in Carmel, IN where he and his wife relocated recently to be near family. Clet was a longtime resident of Evansville, living on Mesker Park Drive. Clet served Evansville’s Westside as a funeral director for over 50 years, devoting his professional life to helping Evansville families in their time of need. Clet will always be remembered for his kindness and gentle spirit. He was quick to smile and share a story, and treated everyone he met with warmth and familiarity. Clet was a 1950 graduate of Bosse High School and a graduate of the Indiana College of Mortuary Science. He was a member and Deacon of 12th Avenue General Baptist Church (now Westwood Church), the Masonic Lodge, and The Scottish Rite. Clet’s lifelong hobby was the history of automobiles, the restoration and salvage of automobiles, classic cars and occasionally a church bus for 12th Avenue General Baptist Church. Cletus is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lois A. (Willey) Hardin; children, Rick Hardin and his wife, Ann of Zionsville, IN, Dianne Archer and her husband Denny of Carmel, IN and Greta Carroll and her husband Mark, of Carmel, IN; grandchildren, Allison Sterner, William Archer, Hilary Carroll, Hannah Carroll, Emily Hardin and John Carroll; great grandchildren, Ruth and Sam Sterner. Also surviving are his sister, Mary Ann Donithan and her husband, Cecil; stepsisters, Nina Thurman and her husband, Jess, and June Meeks and his stepbrother, Ray Aurs, and a brother in law, Robert Willey. Clet was preceded in death by his parents, William H. “W.H.” and Cleva Hardin, his stepmother, Anna Hardin and a brother, Clarence Hardin, all of Evansville. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 11:30 A.M. at Pierre Funeral Home, Rev. John Sloan officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 3:00 until 7:00 P.M. on Thursday and from 10:00 A.M. until service time on Friday at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 W. Franklin Street. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Westwood Church, 121 S. Boehne Camp Road, Evansville, IN 47712 or to the American Heart Association. Condolences may be made online at www.pierrefuneralhome.com.

Cletus "Clet" Hardin

July 29, 1932 - August 15, 2011