Albert Hardon

Albert L. Hardon, beloved father, and friend to many passed away on Monday, March 21, 2022, at age 92.

Albert Lee Hardon was born in a raging blizzard on November 11, 1929, to Albert E. Hardon and Rosa (Bliss) Hardon. They had called Dr. Lanager, but he fell off old highway 36 in the blizzard and broke an arm so was rescued and taken back to Atwood. A neighbor Bernice Anderson assisted Rosa in the birth. Albert grew up on the farm and attended grade school at the Hillside School District 94 two miles away on the Beaver valley, walking, riding a pony or bicycle. Albert started high school in 1943 but left school six weeks later after his father was kicked by a horse he was shoeing for a neighbor, was hospitalized for six months and was unable to work after that. There was much work to be done, as wheat had to be planted as well as putting up cane hay for winter feed for all the cattle and horses. Back then all the work was done with scoop shovels and pitch forks. Wheat had to be scooped from the bins and hauled to town that winter.

Albert was drafted into the Army on August 12, 1951, and took basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. In March 1952, he was shipped to Korea and assigned to A Company of the 79th Engineer Construction Battalion where he helped build a concrete arch ring bridge 70-feet above the Han Tan River across the river gorge. The Company later was sent to Yon Che Do Island 90 miles off the southern tip of Korea where they built barbed wire compounds for 10,000 North Korean POW’s. When finished, A Company was moved to the Yong Son area south of Nam Sung Mountain from Seoul the Capital of Korea. This was a large area that had been a Military Academy when Japan occupied Korea. The brick buildings had been bombed and shelled, so Company A was assigned to repair the buildings for 8th Army Headquarters. Albert was promoted to Platoon SGT Construction Foreman for fifty G.I.s and numerous Korean skilled laborers building new buildings and repairing old brick buildings. Albert learned to speak and write the Korean language so got along well with and made many great friends among the Korean workers. The day Albert left; forty Koreans lined up to bid him goodbye. Albert walked the line and said goodbye to his many friends. Albert left Korea after thirteen months and landed in Seattle the day the truce was signed ending the Korean War.

He enlisted in the active Reserves and spent 38 years with the Army serving 7 years as First Sergeant of the 1013th Field Service Quartermaster Battalion in North Platte NE. Albert served in many fields all these years. He was in the Field Artillery, Engineers, Infantry, Heavy Mortar Company, Transportation Company, and Quartermaster Battalion. He has been a member of the American Legion since he returned from Korea in 1953 and a lifelong member of the VFW.

He married Joaquina Lopez in Roswell, New Mexico in June 1967. They enjoyed fifty-four years working together. They had three children, Gloria (Kyle) Warning, Amber (Mick Ranney) and Carlos, three grandchildren, Melanie Seegers, Michelle Hosman, and Justin Warning and seven great-grandchildren.

Albert farmed and raised cattle with his brother Owen. He worked as an assessor assessing livestock, machinery, and personal property for 32 years at the courthouse in Jan. and Feb. each year. Albert built several buildings on the farmstead and built furniture in the winter after feeding cattle using over 12,000 board feet of white oak, cedar, pine, and black walnut lumber. He made gun cabinets, tables, chests, kitchen cabinets, bed headboards and over 300 wooden bowls which he gave to friends and family and sold in various locations. He obtained the old family loom and made hundreds of rag rugs which he sold but gave most away to family and friends. He collected barbed wire and had over 1100 different wires. Albert liked to help others and helped people with their start in business or farming. He wrote four books, one on his experience in Korea and three books on the Dust Bowl days and the history of this local area. He also drew numerous pen and ink drawings, which he made into notecards for friends, family and for retail.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joaquina; parents Albert E. and Rosa Hardon; sister-in-law Dorothy Hardon and son-in-law Kyle Warning. He is survived by his brother Owen; his three children; three grandchildren, Melanie (Mike) Seegers, Michelle Hosman and Justin (Tiffany) Warning; great grandchildren McKenna and Luke Hosman, Bailey and Austin Seegers, Lindsay (Isaac) Hueftle and Wyatt and Jordyn Warning; nephews Gary (Sue) Harden and Glen (Peggy) Harden; sister-in-law Anita (Martin Hernandez) Maner; brother-in-law Manuel (Rose) Lopez; many nieces and nephews as well as many old friends.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood, with burial in Fairview Cemetery, Atwood. Albert loved history and keeping it alive, so in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rawlins County Historical Society or the Tri-State Antique Engine and Thresher Assn. in Bird City, KS and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com