HARDACRE, Gerald Vern

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona, May 12, 2010. Gerald Vern Hardacre passed away May 7, 2010 at the age of 93 years. He was born on a family farm in Lanark, Ill., Feb. 19, 1917, to Vern Hardacre and Lydia Downs Hardacre. In 1928, his family moved to a farm in Cass City, Mich., where they survived a severe winter by hunting and living on 600 pounds of beans left in a silo. Later his family left the farm and moved to Detroit. In 1943, Gerald married Hellen Spanswick in Detroit, where they began their family, eventually moving to Dearborn in 1949, where they lived for 30 years. After retirement in 1978, he and his wife moved to Lake Havasu City, where he loved to spend time boating and fishing, along with traveling through the U.S.A. and Canada. After graduating from Fordson High School in Dearborn, Gerald served an apprenticeship at Wilbur Wright Trade School and went to work at the Ford Rouge Plant as a tool and die maker. In 1953, he took a position at the Ford Motor Co. scientific lab, where he worked until his retirement in 1978, after a rewarding and successful career. As a dedicated company employee, he was esteemed by his colleagues and proud of his many accomplishments. Unable to serve in World War II because of the results of illness years earlier, he was proud to serve the war effort on the home front. Involved in a highly secret effort, he worked to produce the patterns and dies that facilitated the enhanced production of bombers at the Willow Run Plant in Detroit. This led to the bomber-a-day production and he was proud of this contribution that hastened the end of the war in Europe. Gerald was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Hellen of 67 years; his daughter, Donna (Alberta, Canada); son, Jerry and daughter-in-law Aggie (Michigan); and son, Bill (Michigan); five grandchildren, Tabitha, Shari, Jason, Lydia and Tony; and six great-grandchildren. Of his five siblings, he is survived by a brother and sister, along with several nieces and nephews in Michigan. Gerald led an active and varied life with lots of interests. As a young man, he was an avid motorcyclist and toured the United States with Hellen on their honeymoon; even teaching her to drive the Harley-Davidson. He loved nature, wildlife and travel, and was an avid fisherman in Michigan and Arizona. He loved to travel with his family and purchased one of the first tent-campers on the market. He instilled his passions to his family and they continue the traditions of travel and adventure. A Celebration of Gerald’s life will be at Lietz-Fraze Chapel Friday at 1 p.m. Rev. Richard Rounds will be offering words of comfort and inspiration. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gerald’s name to Hospice of Havasu, P.O. Box 597, Lake Havasu City, AZ, 86405, Salvation Army, 2049 Swanson Ave., Lake Havasu City, AZ, 86403 or Western Arizona Humane Society, 1100 Empire Drive, Lake Havasu City, AZ, 86404. Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory.