Carol Ann Hardman

January 8, 1955 - June 30, 2020

Carol Ann Hardman, mother to Annie, wife and best friend to Scott, daughter to Barbara and Henry Cort, sister to Jolene Deibert, aunt to Heather Nye, teacher of children, lover of books, master gardener, wild feminist, fiercely independent and strong woman, died at age 65 on June 30, 2020. Carol was born on January 8, 1955 and raised in Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, a small town in the heart of coal country. The people there are like the anthracite they mine—tough, full of mettle, and simply the best stuff there is. Carol had a deep, live-in-the-moment spirit forged by the family and community that surrounded her. She came from vivacious Italians and Poles and could cook the best food from both cultures. Like the anthracite under her feet, Carol burned bright and long from the moment she was born. The thing is, unlike coal, Carol didn’t need a match to light her fire. She was a self- starting, bright-as-the-sun package by herself. From an early age, Carol wanted to see the world. She earned a degree from Bloomsburg State College and taught special education in Pittsburgh. She then moved to the business world as a consultant and manager. Ultimately, she went back to her true love, teaching children. She traveled all over America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim before settling down with Scott and Annie in the Pacific Northwest. She met her husband Scott while living and working in Honolulu, Hawaii. When Carol and Scott met they both found what they were looking for in life-long partners. They were best friends, lovers, enjoyed being together, saw eye-to-eye on just about every macro issue in life, had more disagreements on the micro issues than either wanted, and were fully committed and devoted to each other and Annie. Unfortunately, before the family left Hawaii, Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors caught it as early as one could hope for, she was treated, and she went on with life at full speed for another 20+ years. But sadly, the cancer returned. There’s an end point for all of us and Carol taught her family and friends that as ephemeral as life is, having fun and shining as bright as possible is the way to go. What else can we learn from Carol? She was the type of person who would pin a button of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on your clothes because RBG symbolizes a strong, independent, and interdependent woman and person. Someone who made her wonderful life happen, reached for the stars and made a difference, regardless of obstacles. As a teacher, Carol taught kids the same, and encouraged them to be smart, adventurous, and bold because they’ll have to be when they grow up. As a mother and wife she was the type of person who loved deeply and passionately because nothing is more important in this world than love. Carol wasn’t perfect, she was the first to tell you that. But she made a difference in the world, she touched countless lives, and her life shined bright and bold just like the anthracite from where she came. A teacher to us all to the end. In lieu of flowers, please do what Carol did: Read a good book often, spend time in the garden and the outdoors, do good work and fight the good fight, love your family and friends, and donate to METAvivor (Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Research, Support and Awareness) at https://www.metavivor.org/take-action/donate/ to help the world better understand metastatic breast cancer and find solutions to extend the lives of metastatic breast cancer patents. A celebration of life service may be held at a future date pending the status of COVID-19 pandemic guidelines.