Boyd Arlen Joseph Hardy, a resident of Fairview, Montana, peacefully passed away on June 23, 2024, at Sidney Health Center. He was surrounded by the love of his life of 67 years, Shirley Joy Hardy (Foss), and granddaughter, Hannah Joy Hardy.

Boyd was born on December 12,1935, to Merle Amanda Hardy (Sanderson) and Charles Benoit Hardy of Fairview. During his early years, he went to a one-room schoolhouse in Fairview and had a passion for chess, tennis, golf, and horse riding. He attended Fairview High School, graduating in 1953. While he was there, he not only excelled in track and field but also played basketball. He held the Montana state record for discus for over 25 years. Boyd had a hand in almost every agricultural undertaking too. Boyd was, as his youngest brother Sam puts it, “the president of everything, Mr. Popular, and a ladies’ man to boot!”

From that point, Boyd joined Montana State University in Bozeman, where he continued his athletic journey by participating in hurdles, discus, track, and basketball. Boyd became a member of Alpha Gamma Rho in 1954 and was initiated into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honors society. It was during a fraternity gathering in his junior year of college that he first met Shirley, who would go on to become his wife. On June 13, 1957, he completed his studies at Montana State University and the following day, he married his beloved wife Shirley.

Due to his involvement in the ROTC at MSU-Bozeman, they relocated to Virginia Beach, Virginia in late 1957 for six months of military duty. From there, they move home to their cherished Montana. Boyd served in the US Army Reserve and retired as a Captain after 12 years.

Boyd and Shirley started their life’s work by purchasing his parents’ family home. Despite starting with only a handful of cattle and a potato farm, they managed to establish one of the most diligent & hardworking operations in the region. Their first son, Timothy Wade Hardy, was born on November 10, 1961, and their second son, David Eugene Hardy, arrived on December 15, 1962. Boyd was a business-oriented man and when asked what words of wisdom Boyd gave to his sons, they said the most common phrase was… “Suck it up, are you coming to work today?”

In 1971, Boyd and Shirley set their sights on sugar beets and worked tirelessly to develop the main ranch. They transformed pastures into irrigated farmland, constructed roads, and cleared the land for sugar beet cultivation. Throughout this period, Boyd was involved in many community activities.

Boyd retired from sugar beet farming in 1999 at the age of 78. With the help of his long-time friend and favorite cowboy, Gary Malsam, he managed the cattle side of the business until 2020. At that point, his son David assumed control.

Boyd and Shirley found pleasure in their travels. Their time abroad included visits to Paris, Rome, Australia, Tahiti, and India. Within the United States, they took golf trips to Florida and Hawaii with his brother, Sam. Each year, they would commonly go on long drives to North Carolina and California to visit family members. Boyd loved his four granddaughters to no end, and he and Shirley played an integral part in raising each of them as they grew into the adults they are today.

Boyd is survived by his wife, Shirley; children Tim (Lucas) Hardy and David (Kelly) Hardy; siblings Charles and Sam (Janice); grandchildren Kaitlyn, Hannah, and Finley; and great-grandchildren Iselyn, Scarlett, Ford, Hayes, and Hutch.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Merle; sister Shirley; and granddaughter Alyx.

Memorial Contribution