Vallie Hardy, 91, died Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at Highland Park Care Center.
She was born on December 23, 1923 at home in Hammond, south of Douglas, Wyoming to George S. and Chloe Brow. She was the ninth of sixteen children. After attending rural schools she attended school in Douglas, WY and graduated from Torrington, WY high school in 1941.
In 1941 Vallie and her sister, Betty moved to Alliance to begin nurses training at the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Hospital, they attended St. Agnes Academy for a short time taking various courses. While in nurses training Vallie decided to enter the Marycrest Convent in Denver on July 24, 1943. On August 15, 1944, Vallie professed her first vows at the Professional Ceremonies at Marycrest Chapel and took the name of Sister Mary Joseph. Shortly afterward she moved to Scottsbluff and later to Minot, ND to continue her nursing training. She took her final vows on August 16, 1949 in the Congregation of the Sisters of Penance and Christian Charity of the Third Order of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis, and was assigned to St. Mary’s Hospital in Scottsbluff where she remained for 6 years. She then was summoned to St. Mary’s College in Kansas to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing education. She was then assigned to St. Anthony’s Hospital in O’Neill, NE. She then moved to St. Francis Mission, SD and was later a teacher in the elementary grades at St. Agnes in Alliance and other parochial schools in Rushville, O’Neill and a nursing instructor in Minot, ND. During the summers of 1967 through 1969 she completed her Master’s Degree in Religious Education at the University of Detroit, MI.
Her next assignment took her to Cheyenne, WY where she worked at St. Mary’s Cathedral setting up a Catechetical Center. While there she became acquainted with Joseph Hardy, who worked for the railroad and assisted at many cathedral functions. In 1972, Vallie requested to be free from her vows as a religious Sister to pursue life in a way to witness Christ in the secular world as a lay person. On June 17, 1973, Vallie married Joseph Hardy at St. Mary’s Cathedral and they moved to Alliance that year.
Vallie and Joseph both have written books that were published, including her book, “The Vallie of the Rainbow” in 1999. Vallie was very active in her church both as a nun and lay person. She was always teaching, sponsoring individuals to join the church, assisting with religious education and church children’s camps. Vallie also completed the Limex training, an advanced training offered through long distance learning sites with Loyola University New Orleans. This training was in preparation for additional church ministries. She was also a member of the Eagle’s Auxiliary, RSVP, a grandma at Head Start and a strong supporter of Chadron State College.
She is survived by her sisters, Betty Domschot of El Segundo, CA and Barbara Read of Douglas, WY. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, 8 sisters and 6 brothers.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church with Father John Kakkuzhiyil officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. A wake service will be Friday at 6:00 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Chapel.
Memorials may be given to the Sisters of St. Francis, Memory Support Unit of Highland Park Care Center or to Holy Rosary Church.