Elwin Charles Hardy, of 40 Broad Street, Hollis, NH, passed away on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, following a lengthy illness.
He was predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth A. Hardy, in May, 2009. Elwin is survived by his sons Richard A. Hardy and his partner Susan Bracci; Bruce H. Hardy and his wife Becky Hardy; and Charles “Chip” D. Hardy and his wife Leigh Hardy, all of Hollis, NH; grandchildren Cameron Hardy and his wife Nikki Hardy of Brookline, NH; Devon Hardy Coyne and her husband Mike Coyne of Sudbury, MA; Cristin Hardy Larson and her husband Eric Larson of Warwick, RI; Bruce W. Hardy and his wife Jodi Hardy of Philadelphia, PA; Trevor Hardy and his fiancé Katherine Carlson, of Hollis, NH, and Tyler Hardy of Hollis, NH; great-grandchildren Siena Hardy and Quinn Hardy of Brookline, NH; Hollis Coyne, Owen Coyne and Tyler Coyne of Sudbury, MA; and Eva Hardy and Stella Hardy of Philadelphia, PA; his sister and brother-in-law Eleanor Hardy Whittemore and Frank Whittemore of Hollis, NH; his sister Ruth Hardy Seifert of Pepperell, MA; his sister-in-law Jane Hardy (wife of brother Ernest Hardy, deceased) of Ithaca, NY; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dr. Donald Abt and Barbara Abt of Falmouth, MA; his sister-in-law Beverly Abt (wife of brother-in-law Edgar L. Abt, deceased) of Southport, CT; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.
Elwin was born in Hollis, NH, on March 31, 1920, and graduated from Hollis High School in 1938. He attended classes at the University of New Hampshire, Thompson School of Applied Science and returned home to work on the family farm.
Elwin, his children and grand-children and the Whittemore family, own and operate Brookdale Fruit Farm located in the center of Hollis, NH. The farm was started by Elwin’s great-grand father and has been in continuous operation since 1847. It is a well known landmark in southern New Hampshire.
Elwin was one of the earliest members of the International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association and attended meetings all over the world to enhance his knowledge and enthusiasm for growing dwarf apple trees. Over the years, the landscape at Brookdale shrunk as more and more of the old “standard” trees were replaced by trees grown on dwarfing rootstock that limited their overall height. Elwin personally implemented a tree nursery program at Brookdale where thousands of dwarfing rootstocks were grafted with popular varieties and then eventually planted where old orchards once grew.
Brookdale Fruit Farm, while under the direction of Elwin and Frank Whittemore, has received numerous awards and public recognitions, including being designated on the national level as one of five farms in the United States to receive the National Land Stewardship Award.
Elwin was active in the New Hampshire Farm Bureau (a former Vice President), the Hollis Congregational Church, the Hollis Planning Board, the Hollis Fire Department and numerous farm-related organizations. He was a long time member of the New Hampshire Farm Services Agency, a division of the US Department of Agriculture, and served for many years as the state chairman. In 2008 he was awarded special recognition for being one of the longest serving members of the FSA in the entire United States.
SERVICES: Visiting hours will be held at the DAVIS FUNERAL HOME, One Lock St., Nashua on Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A Memorial Service in his honor will be held at the Congregational Church of Hollis, Monument Square, Hollis on Saturday morning at 11:00 AM. Family and friends are invited to attend. Interment prayers and burial will take place at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations made in memory of Elwin to the New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association or the UNH Thompson School of Applied Science.

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