Harry Harrison Hardisty, a resident of Pawling, NY for 71 years, passed away at his home Thursday, April 16, 2020 at the age of 93.
Born in Millerton, NY on July 3, 1926, he was one of two sons born to Harrison Harry Hardisty and Katherine Fitzpatrick. Harry grew up in Amenia with his brother, Lawrence (Larry.) After graduation Harry went into the Army in WWII and was a member of the 10th Mountain Division stationed in Italy and Austria from 1944-1946. Harry was a “mule skinner”, loading the mules with supplies to travel over the mountains to our troops. After he was discharged, Harry married Angie Russotto in Pawling on September 26, 1948, and settled in Pawling; they have been married 71 years.
Harry was the chief night dispatcher for New York Central Railroad, later becoming Metro North, for 45 years. He was past president and a 49-year member of the Pawling Lions, and coached the Pawling Fire Department’s Little League team for years, long after his sons outgrew it. He was a communicant of St. John’s Church, Pawling and a long-time usher at the 7:30 Sunday mass, which he rarely missed, and was also a regular at the daily morning 8 AM mass. Harry also worked many years part-time for the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, Pawling, first with Gus Thomes, and later with John and Debbie Thomes, and with Dan and Chris Jowdy at the Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home in Danbury. Harry was an invaluable asset to both, always the first to arrive, and the last to leave. When he finally retired, he was a hard, almost impossible, act to follow.
Harry will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Angie; two sons, Harry Jr and his wife Gay and Paul and his wife Donna; his brother, Larry; his four grandchildren, Theresa Hardisty and Christina Hardisty Fraundorfer and Christopher Hardisty and his wife Kellie and Anthony Hardisty and his wife Angela; four great-grandchildren, Ashton & Vincent and Lena & Chloe; several nieces and a nephew; and Graceful Home Care Services Rita & Keith and Laura & Christa who are like family.
Donations in Harry’s memory may be made to Hudson Valley Hospice, 374 Violet Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
