Clarke County Veteran of the Year

- 11/11/2022

Congratulating Larry Hardesty on being the Clarke County Veteran of the Year.
 
He was honored at the Veterans Day Ceremony in Berryville on November 11th. The award is co-sponsored each year by American Legion Post 41 and our VFW Post to recognize a Veteran who goes above and beyond in supporting the community.
 
Larry was born in Winchester, Virginia and raised in the community of Wadesville in Clarke County. After graduating from Clarke County High School, Larry entered the U.S. Army in July 1966. He completed Basic Training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, then was assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he completed Military Police training. He remained at Fort Belvoir in a variety of active duty assignments until his Honorable Discharge in July 1968. He remained on active reserve duty until July 1970.
 
Following twelve years of working in the construction field, Larry became Supervisor of Maintenance and Transportation for Clarke County Schools. Since his retirement in 2008, Larry has been extremely active serving in the Clarke County community. He has served on the board of the Clarke County Memorial Cemetery as treasurer and president. In 2011, he established Stones Chapel Memorial Association, Inc and currently serves as president of the association. Since 2020, he has served as President of the Green Hill Cemetery in Berryville. For a number of years, Larry has been an active member of the Clarke County Retired Teachers Association, currently serving as president. He has served as a member and chair of the Board of Trustees at Brucetown United Methodist Church. In addition, he currently serves as an officer of elections for the Russell District in Clarke County. Larry's community service and leadership extends to the veteran community, as he is currently the First Vice Commander of American Legion Post 41 in Berryville. He also is Chair of the Building and Grounds Committee at Post 41 and actively helps with installing military markers at various gravesites in the community. Larry's colleagues recognize and appreciate his willingness to serve and provide leadership in a variety of settings. He is a valued member of the Clarke County community.
 
Larry resides in Clarke County with his wife of fifty-four years, Linda, a retired Clarke County Elementary Teacher. They raised two sons, David and Danny, in Clarke and Frederick Counties.