Janice Marlene "Jan" Hardy

Janice Marlene Hardy, age 78 of Paris, TN, died Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at her residence.

She was born in Flora, IL on July 26, 1939 to the late Henry David Hardy and the late Grethel Lucille Clark.

Jan went to a country school outside of Flora, IL during 1st through 4th  grades and then she attended 5th  grade through graduation in a school in town.  After graduation she was asked to try out for the Professional Women’s Basketball team, the Texas Cowgirls.  She played for them for two years.  She then moved to the famous All-American Redheads.  Her time with the All-American Redheads earned her a place in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, TN.  After playing professional basketball, she worked for Braniff Airlines and then Swiss Air.  She looked at the map of the United States one day and picked out a place she would like to live and moved to Annapolis, MD.  She worked for the sailing school in Annapolis but also spent time as a volunteer at the State Park.  After two years, she moved on to the State Park as a Park Ranger where she stayed for eight years.  She then left to return to Flora, IL, where she finished her working career at Flora Veterinary Clinic.  Jan lived in Flora until 2014 when she moved to Paris, TN to live with her niece, Sharon Ivester and her husband Mike. She is also survived by several other nieces and nephews.  Besides her parents, Jan was also preceded in death by a brother, Terry Hardy and sisters, Sharon McConnell, Ladena Turner, Natalie Cook and Linda Stanley.

Arrangements are being handled by Ridgeway Funeral Home, 201 Dunlap St, Paris, TN.  Her body is to be cremated.  Burial will follow at a later date in IL.

Her family would like to thank all of Jan's friends for their love and support.

This is a poem from her family:

A fan of Aunt Jan

The Lady who was stately and tall

Had Legs, who is curly and small

Lived as a basket’ player who did it all.

Traveled the globe with the Trotters,

Was more than most’s conversational fodder.

Bounce pass, pick and roll, and shot fake,

Were just a few of the actions Jan would make.

Being the star was not her goal;

But playing with all her heart and soul.

Moving through life, Jan loved the outdoors;

And graciously shared her basketball lores.

Loved her family and her pets;

Aunt Jan preferred the Cards to the Mets.

So to the one who did it all,

We hug Aunt Jan, who was stately and tall.

By:  Jenny, Justin, Isaac and Iris Mount