Thomas Kelly Hardee, Sr.

A service celebrating the life of Thomas Kelly Hardee, Sr. will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at United Baptist Church in Campti, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Bro. Dwight St. Andre and Bro. D. M. Mowrer. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home on April 11th and again on Saturday at 12:00 noon until time of the service.

Kelly was born on March 10, 1945 in Campti, Louisiana to John Albert Hardee and Mattie Mae Slayton Hardee. He is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Alvin Ray Hardee, Johnny Benjamin Hardee, and Kenneth Clyde Hardee; and his sister, Dimple Hardee Walker.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years and the love of his life, Judy Blocker Hardee; his son, Kelly Hardee, Jr. (Darlene); his daughter, Donna Hardee Barbe (Jeff); grandchildren; Thomas Kelly Hardee, III (Janie); Kristen Nicole Hardee Carpenter (Brock); Tyler Elizabeth Lewis McCune (Jacob); Victoria Shayne Lewis Tedder (Trevor); Alex Barbe Neal(Walker); Gracie Barbe Farris(Cameron); great-grandchildren, Ella Camille Hardee, Matthew Gregory Carpenter, Thomas Kelly Hardee, IV, Dawson Lane Carpenter, Mila Claire McCune, Madelyn Blake McCune,Blair Thomas Tedder, and Harrison Neal; his sisters, Doris E. Kaczmarek and Peggy Williams (Jimmy).

Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Trey Hardee, Thomas Hardee, Matthew Carpenter, Jack T. Blocker, Jr., Johnny Woods and Kyle Woods. Honorary pallbearers are Jeff Barbe, Doyle Waddle, Trevor Tedder, Jacob McCune, Cameron Farris, Walker Neal, Kevin Wooley, Alan Ebert, and Mike Watts.

After he graduated from Campti High School in 1962, he worked various jobs from being a candy salesman to a first-class welder. Later, he got into the mechanic field and was very successful in that job for ten to twelve years. He was the President of General Motors “Only the Best Club” in the 70’s. This was a club was for the very best service manager in the southern GM district. He was the youngest President in GM history for this area. In the early 80’s he was co-owner of Weaver-Hardee Chevrolet. In 1986, he ventured out and build his won auto repair shop. From 1986-2012, he was the owner of Kelly Hardee Automotive.

At the time he retired, he became a “house husband,” Ha Ha. He told everybody, “Yeah, I’m a real go getter! My wife works and I go get her!” Not only was he a carpenter, he also became quite the cook. He started by learning to boil water then became a full chef in no time. He took care of everything at home. Cooking and cleaning were not enough, he also started grocery shopping and made friends at the grocery store. Walmart and Super 1 became his daily go-to places. He was a perfectionist, and took his title as house husband very seriously. He also was very handy fixing things around the neighborhood homes.

If you knew Kelly Hardee, you knew he loved fishing. He fished ponds to the semi-pro circuit fishing. You could regularly find him fishing off his dock in his backyard. He often said he would rather fish for fun than fish competitively. He was also known as a “fisher of men.” His values remained unwavering: Christ, his family, friends, fishing, work and the Dallas Cowboys.

He loved Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose”. He loved his church and church family. He taught Sunday School for many years and would often preach the gospel. Above all, his love of the Lord was shone through him. One of the highlights of his life was being ordained a Deacon. He spent his life making disciples wherever he could. He lived to serve the Lord and made sure his family was led to Jesus Christ and would see him again in Heaven.