Born March 31, 1933
Summit, New Jersey
Died June 26, 2025
Ferrisburgh, Vermont
Details of services
A memorial service is being planned for August. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Addison County or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Robert Willets Hardy, 92, of Ferrisburgh, Vermont, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away unexpectedly on June 26, 2025.
Born in Summit, New Jersey, on March 31, 1933, Bob was the son of Charles and Mariah Hardy. He graduated from Princeton University in 1954, where he rowed proudly in the bow seat for the university’s Freshman and Varsity crew teams throughout his four years. Following graduation, he served in Korea from 1955 to 1956 as Assistant S-3 for the 13th Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, along the Korean DMZ.
Professionally, Bob excelled in new business development, particularly with Swiss technology. His ventures included continuous flatbed screen printing systems, automated materials distribution systems (commonly known as Telelift Systems), and biomass waste conversion technologies designed to turn municipal waste into clean, usable energy.
Bob was known for his integrity—his word was his bond. That trustworthiness and vision helped him successfully launch and grow many pioneering enterprises.
His greatest partnership was with his wife, Karin Stockar of Zurich, Switzerland—his “compensating balance,” as he fondly called her—who stood by him through life’s many ups and downs.
Together, Bob and Karin were quiet but committed supporters of education and opportunity, establishing funds both at their church and through the Vermont Community Foundation to assist talented individuals lacking financial means.
Of all his accomplishments, Bob was most proud of his family—a success he always attributed to Karin’s love and devotion.
He is survived by Karin and their children:
Andrea Willets Hardy Kerin, her husband Paul, and their daughter Amelia Beck Kerin Donita Renee Hardy and her children Alexander Hardy Brent and Lydia Camille Brent Scott Douglas Hardy and his daughters Mary Elizabeth Hardy (Emme), Jane Webster Hardy, and Phebe Bateman Hardy
Bob was predeceased by his brother, Charles D. “Pete” Hardy, and sister-in-law, Joan. In Princeton’s “LIVES of 1954” 50th reunion yearbook, Bob reflected that the two most important values in his life were: “Number one, family. Number two, when you’ve been knocked down, get up and go risk again.”
He will be remembered for his delightful demeanor, quick wit, and his favorite refrain in later years: “Up the creek and around the bend.”
A memorial service is being planned for August. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Addison County or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
