Rita A. Navratil Hardy

RITA ARLENE NAVRATIL HARDY

July 5, 1951 — August 5, 2021

    With deepest gratitude for her selfless life of 70 years, we announce the passing of RITA ARLENE NAVRATIL HARDY on August 5, 2021. She was a tiny lady, but she has left an enormous impact on the world, literally wearing out her life in her undeviating devotion to God and her family.

    Born July 5, 1951, Rita was the third of Frank and Celia Navratil’s nine children. She grew up in Raymond, Alberta, graduated from Raymond High School, and married David Lawrence Hardy in the Cardston Alberta Temple on August 25, 1971.

    Over the next fifty years, Rita carried, gave birth to, and lovingly raised thirteen children—at intense personal sacrifice. David was an entrepreneur, and he could not have selected a better partner than Rita to make ends meet for a large family during lean times and prosperous ones. She could stretch her dollars and her days to accomplish the mind-boggling. 

    Among her many provident living skills, gardening and food preservation were prominent. Every year, Rita, David, and their children cultivated an 8,000 square-foot garden where they raised all kinds of vegetables. Rita allocated herculean energy to planting, tending, and harvesting her garden, year after year. She perfected processes for every element of her food growing and preserving cycles and executed these processes with consistent precision.

    Consistency and precision characterized other aspects of Rita’s life, as well. While raising her thirteen children, Rita rose very early every morning to exercise and study. Rita pursued constant progression by methodically striving to achieve personal goals. As an adult, she learned to play the piano and would painstakingly practice at least one song every day. She wrote daily in her journal, regularly researched her family history, served frequently in the temple, and ministered to others—especially the elderly, for whom she always had an empathetic heart.  She practiced Czech every day on Duolingo, and every month, she “ponderized” a new scripture. For July 2021, she selected 2 Nephi 9:30: “...Rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.” 

    In the Church, she served in several capacities, including as a member of a stake primary presidency, a Cub leader, her ward’s Relief Society president, a devoted ministering sister, and many, many times over as a primary teacher.

    At the end of her life, Rita had hoped to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now her call has come, and she has answered.

    Rita is survived by her thirteen children and their spouses: Jeffry (Kimberly) Hardy, Cara (Cory) Rasmussen, Camilla (Alan) Harrison, Cherilea (Aaron) Pace, Jared (Sheralee) Hardy, Landon (Brenna) Hardy, Emily (Michael) Shatzer, Kayleen (Kendon) Evanson, Lowyn (Heather) Hardy, Dallin (Heather) Hardy, Janae (Dustin) Purnell, Shelyse (KC) Erb, and Elder Joseph Hardy, who is currently serving in the Canada Winnipeg Mission. In addition, seventy-nine of her eighty grandchildren survive her, as do seven of her eight siblings: Darrell (Dixie) Navratil, Donna (Earl) Nilsson, Lorrene (Jim) Olsen, Dwaine (Janet) Navratil, Priscilla (Blair) Proctor, Rodney (Heather) Navratil, and Kerry (Reece) Allred. Rita was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Celia Navratil; her husband, David Lawrence Hardy; her sister Nola (Mark—living) Bishop; her son-in-law George McFadzean; and her grandson Lyman Jeffry Hardy. 

    According to Rita’s wishes, a private burial service was held in association with her interment at the Temple Hill Cemetery. Friends are invited to meet the family at the Raymond Stake Center from 10AM to 10:45AM on Monday, August 9, 2021. A memorial service will follow immediately, beginning at 11AM at the Raymond Stake Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you record your memories of Rita and email them to dlhardyfamily@gmail.com.

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