Margaret M (Darling) Hardin
Marriages
William Hershel Hardin - August 13, 1943
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5B - February 1, 2011
â– Margaret M. Hardin, 88,
Grand Junction, died Jan. 31,
2011, at Hospice Care Center.
Visitation will take place
from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at Martin
Mortuary. Services will take
place at 2 p.m. Friday at Martin
Mortuary. Burial will take place
at Grand Junction Memorial
Gardens.
Ms. Hardin was a Regional
Center technician.
Survivors include two sons,
John of Grand Junction and
Travis of Clifton; two daughters,
Shelly Bennett of Montrose and
Debra Crawford of Grand Junction;
nine grandchildren; and 14
great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to
Roice-Hurst Humane Society,
3320 D 1/2 Road, Clifton 81520.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 5B - February 2, 2011
Margaret May Hardin, 88, quietly passed away early on Monday,
January 31, 2011, at Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado,
surrounded by members of her family.
A life-long resident of Western Colorado, she was born May 1,
1922 in Norwood, CO, to George and Laura Darling and spent her
early years in the Norwood and Paonia areas and graduated from
Paonia High School in 1940.
She married William Hershel Hardin on August 13, 1943 in Price,
Utah and they began making their home in Grand Junction where
they had six children. Two sons, William Richard and Larry Brian
Hardin preceded her in death. Surviving children are Shelly (Gary)
Bennett, of Montrose, and John Hardin, Debra Crawford and Travis
(Karen) Hardin, all of Grand Junction.
In addition to other employment earlier in her life, Margaret retired
from a career at the State Home and Training School where she
served in various capacities. While there she was active and held offices
in the employees' union.
Margaret lived her life as the champion of the underdog and was
called "mom" or "grandma" by countless young people who came
into her life in various ways. Her friends and family characterize her
as always providing unconditional love to those close to her, and her
home was a haven for many who found themselves at loose ends in
their personal lives. With Margaret, they always found a warm meal
and a listening ear.
Those same people also found in Margaret an example to follow.
In addition to having a relatively hard life as a child and young
woman, she finished raising her children as a single mother following
the death of her husband in 1971 and suffering other hardships,
including the loss of two homes to fire. She never accepted charity
or welfare, and instead developed a career that was centered upon
helping those less fortunate than herself.
In addition to her living children, other survivors include grandchildren,
Kari (Dennis) Harvey, William (Dorothy) Hardin, Brian Bennett,
Matthew (Heather) Bennett, Dustin Hardin, Christina Hardin,
Treavor Hardin, Jessica (Troy) Branson and Sarah Crawford. Great
grandchildren are Kailyn Bennett, Kimberlyn Bennett, Tanner Bennett,
Makayla Hardin, Raeley Branson, Jacob Harvey, Zach Harvey,
Luke Harvey, Vivienne Bennett, Halley Hardin, Hannah Hardin,
Hope Hardin, Riley Hardin and Harmony Hardin.
From a family of five children, she was preceded in death by all
four siblings, brothers Henry, Richard and Robert Darling and a
sister, Jane Darling Clark.
Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 4, at Martin
Mortuary with a visitation time from 1-2:00 p.m. Interment will
follow at Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made to Roice-Hurst Humane Society,
3320 D 1/2 Road, Clifton, CO 81520.