Evelyn Mae (Knecht) Hardy
Evelyn Mae went to be with the Lord in the early morning of Oct. 17, 2023, at the age of 90.
Feb. 16, 1933 – Oct. 17, 2023
Evelyn Mae went to be with the Lord in the early morning of Oct. 17, 2023, at the age of 90. Born on Feb. 16, 1933, in Lind, Wash., to Edward and Lydia Knecht, Evelyn lived on her great-grandparents’ farm in Warden, Wash. She learned to play guitar at the age of 10, and at 13 was given the opportunity to play and sing on her own radio program on KSEM, known as the Sweetheart of the Columbia Basin, until the age of 17.
After completing high school in Warden with a graduating class of five, she went to work for General Electric in Richland, Wash., which would prove to be the best move of her life. There she met the love of her life, Aulton Clyde Hardy, better known to his friends as Jack, who was stationed in the Army at Camp Hanford. They shared a love for music and a love for one another like no other. They were married Feb. 2, 1952, and moved back to Warden. In November of 1952, nine months after their nuptials, they welcomed their first of three daughters, Sandra Faye, followed shortly after by Julianne and Wendy Sue. Evy and Jack continued to play their music in Jack’s band, Jack Hardy and the Potato Pickers, while raising their girls on the farm.
Evelyn worked as a beloved secretary for Warden High School for many years while living on the farm that she and Jack adored. She enjoyed every minute on the farm with her grandchildren out there, and taught them how to crochet, make cookies and how to rest their eyes in the afternoon.
After Evelyn’s retirement, she and Jack moved to Moses Lake. Evelyn enjoyed her family, her friends, her church and her volunteer work at Samaritan Hospital. While she suffered from Alzheimer’s for the last 14 years, before it took too much of her mind she went to church every Sunday. She and Jack were members of the First Presbyterian Church. Evy was loved by her community members and her family so much. Her legacy will live on in the hearts of those who loved her and were lucky to be loved by her.
Evelyn is preceded in death by her loving husband Jack of 53 years, her daughter Julianne Sullivan and her parents, Edward and Lydia Knecht. She leaves behind her daughters, Sandra (Skip) Allred and Wendy Gilbert; grandchildren, Stephanie (Teresa) Reitz, Crystal (Karl) Johnson, Brandy (Ken) Tucker, Heather Abregana, Brandon Gilbert and Haliey (Tim) Weber; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie (Dustin) Caldwell, Korbin (Ashley) Reitz, Jarad Parker, Madison, Makenna and Marlee Ybarra, Maeci Johnson, Benjamin (Melissa) Sullivan and Allison Abregana; great-great-grandchildren, Rylee Sullivan and Parker Caldwell; sister Linda (Brent) Bishop; nephew Patrick (Kristi) Bishop; and niece Heidi (Brian) Collins, as well as so many people in the community whose lives were touched by Evy.
Services for Evelyn will be held Monday, Oct. 23, 2023, at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Moses Lake, Wash.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Alzheimer’s is a cruel and unrelenting disease, but with your donation maybe we can come closer to finding a cure.