Louis C. Hardy

North Haven, CT- Louis C. Hardy passed away on September 4, 2026, in hospice care at Hanover Terrace in Hanover, NH, after enduring an extended illness. Lou, as he was known to all, lived a full life and will now be reunited with his beloved wife of 52 years, Diane, who passed away in 2013. He never stopped missing her, and they are together again at last.

Lou was born in Greenville, ME, on November 28, 1937, the oldest son of Charles and Henrietta (née Findlen) Hardy. He attended Greenville Consolidated School and graduated in 1955 with 26 other classmates. He enlisted in the Air Force and began a career that took him -- and eventually his family -- to RAF Alconbury in the UK; Pease AFB in NH, where he met and married Diane (née Pomerleau); Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS; Wheelus AFB in Tajoura, outside of Tripoli, Libya; Dyess AFB in Abilene, TX; and Hickam AFB on the island of Oahu in Hawai’i. While Lou was stationed at Pease, he was awarded Airman of the Year in his second year at that duty station. His final Air Force tour of duty was in southern CT as a recruiter. He retired honorably as a Senior Master Sergeant NCO in 1977. After a 21-year career primarily focused on installing and managing communications sites for the Air Force, Lou segued smoothly into similar operations for American Airlines and its affiliated companies, covering airports in the northeastern United States. He traveled around the region extensively and frequently installed computers and other equipment overnight at airports. Lou retired permanently in 2008 but never really stopped being a night owl.

Lou, Diane, and their three sons settled in Northford, CT, in 1974 and Lou lived in the same house on Deepwood Lane until he moved down the road to North Haven in 2024 into an assisted living arrangement at The Landing.

Lou and Diane took full advantage of his American Airlines affiliation and loved to travel to hotter climates. They were notorious for attracting hurricanes to some of their favorite Caribbean destinations. They loved Antigua in particular.

In his mid-life years, Lou beat both nicotine and alcohol, the latter with help from AA. Lou credited AA with potentially saving his life and certainly extending it. He returned the favor by serving as a sponsor for other members and chairing and running a weekly AA meeting in Meriden, CT, for several years.

Lou enjoyed photography and he also loved to watch his sons and grandchildren play sports. He could frequently be seen prowling the sidelines of North Branford sporting events, snapping photos as if he were a member of the press.

Lou was predeceased by his wife, parents, and two younger brothers, Michael in 1973 and David in 2017, both of the Boston area.

Lou is survived by his three sons -- Tim (Lisa) of Marietta, NY; Greg (Judy) of Meriden, NH; and Doug of West Hartford, CT -- six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren, including his namesake, Louisa. He is also survived by his sister, Liz Hardy-Jackson of Hyde Park in Boston; sister-in-law Jeanne Hardy of Salt Lake City; sister-in-law Nancy Pomerleau of Amherst, NH; and many nieces and nephews with fond memories of “Uncle Lou.”

The family would like to thank the many staffers at the VA Hospital in West Haven -- where Diane worked for 29 years -- for their support, particularly over the past three years; The Landing of North Haven, which provided Lou with a truly safe landing spot for the past two years; the aides from BrightStar Care; and the many folks at Hanover Terrace and Bayada Hospice who provided loving care for Lou and the family during his final days.

On Saturday, September 12th there will be visiting hours from 12 to 2 PM and a final sendoff for Lou beginning at 2, at the North Haven Funeral Home in North Haven, CT. A casual gathering will follow. Lou and Diane’s ashes will be interred together in a private ceremony at a later date.

Lou and Diane were respectful, good-hearted, and humble people for whom family came first. In “Lou” of flowers, please honor them by enjoying a good meal out with loved ones and leaving a big tip, as Lou was known to do.

Knight Funeral Home was honored to have assisted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed in an online guestbook found at www.knightfuneralhomes.com