Hermalee Hardin

Hermalee Conley Hardin, 91, of Baltimore, Ohio died on Sunday, January 4, 2015 at Lanfair Nursing Home in Lancaster. She was born in Paintsville, Kentucky March 25, 1923 to parents George W. and Stella Meade Conley. Also preceded in death by husband, John Hardin; former husband, Gail “Rick” Dunkel; sister, Ila Beatrice McGuire; brother, George D. Conley; and nieces, Mary McGuire and Peggy McGuire of Rensselaer, New York.

She is survived by nephews, Larry Conley and Joe Conley of Atlanta, John T. McGuire of Averville Park, New York; nieces, Linda Meyers and Jennifer Gray of Ashland, Kentucky and Pam Layman of Orlando, Florida; son-in-law, Dr. Charles Hardin of Kingston, Ohio; daughter-in-law, Roberta (Richard) Deckerd of Lancaster, Ohio; Godchildren, Gregory F. (Alisha) Johnson and Marsha J. (Robert A.) Denzine; and special friends, Phyllis and Dr. Z. Marshall Johnson and Ronald and Esther Ramey.

Mrs. Hardin retired with 30 years as a dedicated Home Economics teacher at the Liberty Union-Thurston School District and 2 years in New Castle, Kentucky. She was highly motivated, organized, and students were guided by her leadership and insights for instilling a sense of community involvement, public speaking abilities, and individual experiences. Her Home Economics classroom provided life skill lessons in family living, child development, foods and nutrition, and consumer financial knowledge.

She was recognized by the Ohio Department of Education with an Honorary State Homemaker Degree for her outstanding work with student leadership, community work, and classroom teaching. Through her work with the Ohio Future Homemakers Association (FHA), 325 Liberty Union-Thurston girls received the State Homemaker Degree, four students were state officers, and one was the state FHA President. 36 of her former students have or were teaching Home Economics or in other teaching fields at the time of her retirement.

Residents of Baltimore will fondly remember her and her students work on community and school banquets, Pre-School Play Schools, annual style shows, Community Christmas Dances, Daddy Date Nights, Mother-Daughter Banquets, community fund raisers, and many other related FHA activities.

She was a graduate of Ashland Kentucky High School, Kentucky’s Morehead College with a B.S. in Education, and graduate work at the Ohio State University. Hermalee was a life member of the Ohio Education Association/National Education Association and Ohio/Fairfield Retired Teachers Association. She has been a 50+ year member of the Parthenia Chapter Order of the Eastern Star and a church member at Christ United Methodist Church, Baltimore.

Hermalee will be missed and remembered by her many dear friends, her co-workers, her many students, and the Baltimore community.

Funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM Friday at Christ United Methodist Church, 700 S. Main St, Baltimore, Ohio 43105 with Reverend Alice Wolfe officiating. Friends may visit from 2-4 and 6-8 PM Thursday at the JOHNSON-SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 207 S. Main St, Baltimore, Ohio 43105. Caring Cremation will follow services and burial will take place in Maple Grove Cemetery, Baltimore

Donations may be made in memory of Hermalee to Christ United Methodist Church.