LaDon Ann Hardman, 79

LaDon Ann Hardman, 79, passed away Friday, March 14, 2008, in Kalispell.

LaDon was born April 1, 1928, in Wilmot, Ark., the daughter of Lloyd Joseph and Edith Opal (Reynolds) Linton. LaDon grew up in Wilmot and moved to the Long Beach, Calif. area, where she graduated in 1946 from Polytechnic High School in Long Beach.

She married Kenneth E. Hardman in Washington, D.C., in 1945. LaDon primarily was a homemaker raising her family, and spent many years volunteering at the Long Beach VA Hospital. She was appointed director and served for three years at that program for the American Legion Auxiliary, and following that, she was elected departmental president for the years 1976-77.

LaDon was a fine vocalist and sang with the "Mother Singers" in Long Beach, which was sponsored by the P.T.A. for several years. While living in Bigfork, she was active and spent time with the local ceramics group.

LaDon was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Daniel, in 1974, who was in the U.S.A.F. in Thailand during the Vietnam Conflict when he died; and a granddaughter, Rebecca.

She is survived by her husband of 62 1/2 years, Kenneth E. Hardman, of Bigfork; daughters, Nancy Wallace of Lincoln and Martha Jones of Norco, Calif.; sisters, Marjorie Furry of Battleground, Wash. and Betty Henderson of Bridger; grandchildren, Jef Wallace, April Smalley of Arizona, and Daniel Wallace of Great Falls; and great-grandchildren, Emma and Molly Wallace, Jasper Smalley, and Sierra and Kadence Wallace.

Memorial services for LaDon will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at the Swan Chapel in Swan Lake. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.