clifton hardy, jr.
1948-2012
Life Story
Early Life on Bethel Road
Clifton Hardy, Jr. was born on November 21, 1948, in Newton County, Mississippi, to Clifton Hardy, Sr. and Annie Lee Evans Hardy.
He spent his early childhood in the Lawrence-Bethel community, where his family lived on a farm located along Bethel Road. The 1950 census records Clifton as a one-year-old living with his parents and older sister, Annie Pearl, in a rural household deeply connected to the land and community.
As the family grew, Clifton was raised alongside a large group of siblings that eventually included Willie James, Annie Pearl, Barbara, Betty Doll, Mary Alice, Alice Louise, Emma Virginia, and Nancy Lee. Growing up in a large family taught him the values of cooperation, responsibility, and perseverance that would remain with him throughout his life.
Education and Young Adulthood
Clifton attended local schools in Newton County and graduated as a member of the Class of 1971. His graduation marked an important milestone and reflected his determination to complete his education despite the challenges faced by many rural Mississippi families during that era.
As a young man, he remained closely connected to his family and community, maintaining the strong relationships that had been established during his childhood in Newton County.
Family Responsibility and Community Trust
Throughout his life, Clifton demonstrated a willingness to accept responsibility when family members needed assistance.
A legal notice published in The Newton Record in December 1991 documented his appointment by the Chancery Court of Newton County as conservator for Nancy Evans. In that capacity, he was entrusted with handling matters related to the sale of property belonging to the estate under court supervision.
While largely a legal responsibility, the appointment reflected the confidence placed in him by both his family and the court system to oversee important affairs with care and accountability.
Marriage and Life on the Gulf Coast
At some point during his adult years, Clifton relocated to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he built the next chapter of his life in Gulfport.
He married Shirley Graffree Hardy, and together they shared forty-one years of marriage. Their home became a center of family life, and Clifton took great pride in his role as husband, father, and mentor.
Together, Clifton and Shirley raised their daughter, Yoka (Evan) Reese. He also served as a devoted godfather to Elijawan Cook and Ja Darius Cooley, maintaining close relationships with younger generations of his extended family.
Public records place the family at residences on 32nd Avenue and later Liz Circle in Gulfport, where Clifton spent much of his adult life.
A Career Built on Hard Work
Clifton devoted nearly four decades of his life to J.O. Collins Contractors, where he built a reputation for dependability, leadership, and hard work.
Over the course of thirty-nine years with the company, he advanced to the position of foreman. His long tenure reflected both his skill in the construction industry and his commitment to providing for his family.
Coworkers and supervisors respected him for his steady work ethic and practical leadership. Through changing economic conditions and decades of growth along the Gulf Coast, Clifton remained a reliable presence in his profession.
Faith and Character
Friends and family remembered Clifton as a man who valued family relationships, hard work, and personal responsibility.
Whether assisting relatives, mentoring younger family members, or supporting those around him, he carried forward the values instilled during his upbringing in Newton County.
Though much of his life was spent away from his childhood home, he never lost his connection to the family and community that shaped him.
Final Years and Passing
Clifton Hardy, Jr. passed away on April 15, 2012, at the age of sixty-three.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifton Hardy, Sr. and Annie Lee Hardy, and by three sisters: Annie Pearl Curry, Barbara Cannon, and Betty Hardy.
Funeral services were held on April 21, 2012, at Mercy Seat Missionary Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi. Arrangements were entrusted to Marshall Funeral Home.
Following the service, he was laid to rest at Pine Ridge Cemetery.
Legacy
Clifton Hardy, Jr.’s life bridged two regions of Mississippi. He carried the values of his rural Newton County upbringing into a successful life on the Gulf Coast, where he built a family, established a respected career, and earned the trust of those around him.
His nearly four decades in the construction industry, his devotion to his wife and daughter, and his willingness to assist family members all stand as enduring reflections of his character.
Today, he is remembered as a hardworking provider, a trusted family member, a respected foreman, and a proud son of Newton County whose influence continues through the family and friends who knew and loved him.
Resting Place
Pine Ridge Cemetery, Gulfport, Mississippi
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1950 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Bethel Road, household of Clifton Hardy.
- Graduates, newspaper clipping documenting the Newton County graduating class of 1971.
- The Newton Record (Newton, Mississippi), December 11, 1991, legal notice regarding the conservatorship of Nancy Evans.
- Public residence records, Gulfport, Mississippi, documenting residences on 32nd Avenue and Liz Circle.
- Obituary of Clifton Hardy, Jr., Sun Herald (Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi), April 20, 2012.
- Funeral program and obituary, Clifton Hardy, Jr., Marshall Funeral Home, Gulfport, Mississippi.
- Pine Ridge Cemetery burial records, Gulfport, Mississippi.
- Family records identifying Clifton Hardy, Jr. as the son of Clifton Hardy, Sr. and Annie Lee Evans Hardy and husband of Shirley Graffree Hardy.
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