Jim was born in Tampa, Florida to Woodrow Wilson Hardee and Nellie Ruth Green Hardee. The family moved to Plant City when Jim was six years old. When Jim was 14 years old and his sister, Jackie, was 12, their father passed away. A few years later, J. Martin Brown came into their life as their beloved stepfather.
Jim graduated from Plant City High School in 1959 and then from Florida Southern College in 1963, where he played baseball. After college, he joined the family business, Hardee Manufacturing, a heavy equipment company owned by his uncle, Clifford Hardee. In 1977, Jim bought his own company and Hardee Equipment Co., Inc. operated until he sold the business in 2006.
Through the years, Jim's employees loved him and his loyalty to them. He never once laid off an employee during lean times even if he had some people sweeping and cleaning. He always respected that his employees were supporting families and he put his own family and their families above anything else.
Jim was a man of honesty, integrity, character, loyalty, great faith and great humility. He raised his family with these traits and was pleased to witness these same traits in his children and grandchildren.
Jim loved the woods and grew up hunting with his father. And from him, his son and grandchildren learned to hunt and love the woods as well. He loved to ride his tractor at his farm in Madison County. His daughter always said that being on the tractor was his "happy place".
Jim rose to great success in the truck equipment industry. He served on the board of directors for the National Truck Equipment Association, serving as president in 1997-1998. Jim was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Plant City where he had served the Lord from the age of six.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Wilson Hardee; his mother, Nellie Ruth Green Hardee Brown; his stepfather, J. Martin Brown; his brother, Lewis Bernard Hardee; and his sister, Norma Gail Hardee. He is survived by his loving wife, Ola Jean Cason Hardee; his daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Kevin Taylor; his son and daughter-in-law, Casey and Lisa Hardee; and seven precious grandchildren who were the joy of his heart - Haley Hayes, Karaline Hayes, Jackson Hardee, Lily Taylor, Jace Hardee, Gracie Taylor, and Jett Hardee. He is also survived by his sister, Jackie Hardee McCullers.
The family received friends on, August 18 at the First Baptist Church of Plant City, where a Celebration of Life was held on Friday, August 19. The officiants were Dr. Ron Churchill and Pastor Claude Walker, musical performers were Cindy Churchill and the First Baptist Church Quartet, and the pallbearers were David Sparkman, Dean Wartenbee, Dub Mcginnes, Nick Oquendo, Mark McCullers, Adam Walton, Dusty Willis, Ken Carithers, Cecil Everidge, Jimmie Dan Robinson, Winfred Harrell, Rolly Rollyson, David Cribbs, John Taggart, Ron Daniel, Riviere Thomas, and Skip Meisaac.
Jim graduated from Plant City High School in 1959 and then from Florida Southern College in 1963, where he played baseball. After college, he joined the family business, Hardee Manufacturing, a heavy equipment company owned by his uncle, Clifford Hardee. In 1977, Jim bought his own company and Hardee Equipment Co., Inc. operated until he sold the business in 2006.
Through the years, Jim's employees loved him and his loyalty to them. He never once laid off an employee during lean times even if he had some people sweeping and cleaning. He always respected that his employees were supporting families and he put his own family and their families above anything else.
Jim was a man of honesty, integrity, character, loyalty, great faith and great humility. He raised his family with these traits and was pleased to witness these same traits in his children and grandchildren.
Jim loved the woods and grew up hunting with his father. And from him, his son and grandchildren learned to hunt and love the woods as well. He loved to ride his tractor at his farm in Madison County. His daughter always said that being on the tractor was his "happy place".
Jim rose to great success in the truck equipment industry. He served on the board of directors for the National Truck Equipment Association, serving as president in 1997-1998. Jim was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Plant City where he had served the Lord from the age of six.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Wilson Hardee; his mother, Nellie Ruth Green Hardee Brown; his stepfather, J. Martin Brown; his brother, Lewis Bernard Hardee; and his sister, Norma Gail Hardee. He is survived by his loving wife, Ola Jean Cason Hardee; his daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Kevin Taylor; his son and daughter-in-law, Casey and Lisa Hardee; and seven precious grandchildren who were the joy of his heart - Haley Hayes, Karaline Hayes, Jackson Hardee, Lily Taylor, Jace Hardee, Gracie Taylor, and Jett Hardee. He is also survived by his sister, Jackie Hardee McCullers.
The family received friends on, August 18 at the First Baptist Church of Plant City, where a Celebration of Life was held on Friday, August 19. The officiants were Dr. Ron Churchill and Pastor Claude Walker, musical performers were Cindy Churchill and the First Baptist Church Quartet, and the pallbearers were David Sparkman, Dean Wartenbee, Dub Mcginnes, Nick Oquendo, Mark McCullers, Adam Walton, Dusty Willis, Ken Carithers, Cecil Everidge, Jimmie Dan Robinson, Winfred Harrell, Rolly Rollyson, David Cribbs, John Taggart, Ron Daniel, Riviere Thomas, and Skip Meisaac.
Jim was born in Tampa, Florida to Woodrow Wilson Hardee and Nellie Ruth Green Hardee. The family moved to Plant City when Jim was six years old. When Jim was 14 years old and his sister, Jackie, was 12, their father passed away. A few years later, J. Martin Brown came into their life as their beloved stepfather.
Jim graduated from Plant City High School in 1959 and then from Florida Southern College in 1963, where he played baseball. After college, he joined the family business, Hardee Manufacturing, a heavy equipment company owned by his uncle, Clifford Hardee. In 1977, Jim bought his own company and Hardee Equipment Co., Inc. operated until he sold the business in 2006.
Through the years, Jim's employees loved him and his loyalty to them. He never once laid off an employee during lean times even if he had some people sweeping and cleaning. He always respected that his employees were supporting families and he put his own family and their families above anything else.
Jim was a man of honesty, integrity, character, loyalty, great faith and great humility. He raised his family with these traits and was pleased to witness these same traits in his children and grandchildren.
Jim loved the woods and grew up hunting with his father. And from him, his son and grandchildren learned to hunt and love the woods as well. He loved to ride his tractor at his farm in Madison County. His daughter always said that being on the tractor was his "happy place".
Jim rose to great success in the truck equipment industry. He served on the board of directors for the National Truck Equipment Association, serving as president in 1997-1998. Jim was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Plant City where he had served the Lord from the age of six.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Wilson Hardee; his mother, Nellie Ruth Green Hardee Brown; his stepfather, J. Martin Brown; his brother, Lewis Bernard Hardee; and his sister, Norma Gail Hardee. He is survived by his loving wife, Ola Jean Cason Hardee; his daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Kevin Taylor; his son and daughter-in-law, Casey and Lisa Hardee; and seven precious grandchildren who were the joy of his heart - Haley Hayes, Karaline Hayes, Jackson Hardee, Lily Taylor, Jace Hardee, Gracie Taylor, and Jett Hardee. He is also survived by his sister, Jackie Hardee McCullers.
The family received friends on, August 18 at the First Baptist Church of Plant City, where a Celebration of Life was held on Friday, August 19. The officiants were Dr. Ron Churchill and Pastor Claude Walker, musical performers were Cindy Churchill and the First Baptist Church Quartet, and the pallbearers were David Sparkman, Dean Wartenbee, Dub Mcginnes, Nick Oquendo, Mark McCullers, Adam Walton, Dusty Willis, Ken Carithers, Cecil Everidge, Jimmie Dan Robinson, Winfred Harrell, Rolly Rollyson, David Cribbs, John Taggart, Ron Daniel, Riviere Thomas, and Skip Meisaac.
Jim graduated from Plant City High School in 1959 and then from Florida Southern College in 1963, where he played baseball. After college, he joined the family business, Hardee Manufacturing, a heavy equipment company owned by his uncle, Clifford Hardee. In 1977, Jim bought his own company and Hardee Equipment Co., Inc. operated until he sold the business in 2006.
Through the years, Jim's employees loved him and his loyalty to them. He never once laid off an employee during lean times even if he had some people sweeping and cleaning. He always respected that his employees were supporting families and he put his own family and their families above anything else.
Jim was a man of honesty, integrity, character, loyalty, great faith and great humility. He raised his family with these traits and was pleased to witness these same traits in his children and grandchildren.
Jim loved the woods and grew up hunting with his father. And from him, his son and grandchildren learned to hunt and love the woods as well. He loved to ride his tractor at his farm in Madison County. His daughter always said that being on the tractor was his "happy place".
Jim rose to great success in the truck equipment industry. He served on the board of directors for the National Truck Equipment Association, serving as president in 1997-1998. Jim was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Plant City where he had served the Lord from the age of six.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Woodrow Wilson Hardee; his mother, Nellie Ruth Green Hardee Brown; his stepfather, J. Martin Brown; his brother, Lewis Bernard Hardee; and his sister, Norma Gail Hardee. He is survived by his loving wife, Ola Jean Cason Hardee; his daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Kevin Taylor; his son and daughter-in-law, Casey and Lisa Hardee; and seven precious grandchildren who were the joy of his heart - Haley Hayes, Karaline Hayes, Jackson Hardee, Lily Taylor, Jace Hardee, Gracie Taylor, and Jett Hardee. He is also survived by his sister, Jackie Hardee McCullers.
The family received friends on, August 18 at the First Baptist Church of Plant City, where a Celebration of Life was held on Friday, August 19. The officiants were Dr. Ron Churchill and Pastor Claude Walker, musical performers were Cindy Churchill and the First Baptist Church Quartet, and the pallbearers were David Sparkman, Dean Wartenbee, Dub Mcginnes, Nick Oquendo, Mark McCullers, Adam Walton, Dusty Willis, Ken Carithers, Cecil Everidge, Jimmie Dan Robinson, Winfred Harrell, Rolly Rollyson, David Cribbs, John Taggart, Ron Daniel, Riviere Thomas, and Skip Meisaac.
