Wright Lupton Hardy

Wright Lupton Hardy of Raleigh, age 95, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at the Transitions Hospice Home. He was born on March 19, 1923 on a farm in Wake County to Elizabeth “Betty” Foreman Hardy and Thomas “Tom” Lemuel Hardy. Part of a family that first arrived in eastern North Carolina in 1695, he was the youngest of Betty and Tom’s 12 children, and was preceded in death by all of his sisters and brothers. When Wright was nine years old, his family moved from their farm in Wake County to another farm in Johnston County in a wagon drawn by mules. He grew up on that farm, learning the values of hard work, community, and living life on life’s terms. Sometime in 1945, he met Emma Jane McCarthy of Clayton. They married on October 26, 1945, and lived together in Raleigh ever since. Wright stayed active after he retired from his work as a diesel mechanic, working as a precinct polling judge, playing golf, woodworking, gardening for himself and others, and caring for his grandkids. He is survived by Jane, his loved and loving wife of 72 ½ years; his daughter Gayle Hardy Franks, son Thomas W. Hardy and his wife Miriam Rabkin, son Mark Hardy, eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and an enormous number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The family wants to thank the staff of Carillon Assisted Living of North Raleigh, the Boylan Clinic, the staff of Rex Hospital, and the staff of Transitions Hospice Home for their care of Wright. Wright was loved and will be remembered for many things, including his love for his family and friends, putting the needs of others above his own, his ability to fix anything that happened to break, his open mind, his warm heart, his wit, and the nifty pith helmet that he wore when cutting the grass. We miss him terribly, but celebrate his long life, well lived. Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Sunday, March 25, 2018 at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh.  Interment will follow at Raleigh Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 – 2:00 pm on Sunday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that anyone wishing to honor Wright make a donation in his name to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (foodbankcenc.org).