Walter 'Walt' Lawrence Hardin, 89

Walter “Walt” Lawrence Hardin, 89, died September 22, 2021, at his residence in Sandpoint, Idaho.

There will be a rosary held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at the Lakeview Funeral Home, 301 Olive Ave., Sandpoint. A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with Father Robert Cook officiating. This will be followed by military honors at Pinecrest Cemetery.

Walt was a man of faith who deeply loved his family and his country. He lived a spirited and active life and you could often find him humming a Dean Martin tune, cutting a rug on a dance floor, traveling the world, or spending quality time with family and friends at his favorite place, Bottle Bay.

Walt was born on May 12, 1932, at Sacred Heart in Spokane, Washington, to Rose Marie (née Peterson) and Walter Thomas Hardin of Oden Bay, Idaho. His grandparents, Ole and Mary Peterson, were among the first residents in the area and homesteaded in Oden Bay. Walt attended Sandpoint High School (Class of 1950) where he played football and served as vice president of the school. It was there he met the woman who would later become the love of his life, cheerleader and president of their class, Nadine Ann Jacobson. While receiving offers to multiple universities, Walt attended University of Idaho to be closer to his family and played football for the Vandals. He received a bachelors and a master’s in business education. He went on to serve in the Air Force Reserves for over 39 years and retired as a major in 1992. He was also a revered teacher at American River College in Sacramento, California, for 30 years.

Walt and Nadine Jacobson cultivated a beautiful life together and were privileged to share 55 anniversaries together before Nadine’s passing on August 11, 2011. They were married on September 17, 1955, and went on to have four children. Over the course of their marriage they would live in Tekoa, Washington, Spokane, Washington, and Sacramento, California, but always coming back to their home base in Sandpoint.

Sandpoint native. Air Force patriot. Dedicated teacher. But most importantly, he was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Nadine (Jacobson) Hardin; and his parents Walter Thomas Hardin and Rose Marie (Peterson) Hardin.

Walt is survived by his sister, Gloria Marie Reynolds; and his four children, Linda Hardin of Brentwood, Tennessee, Tom Hardin (Vera) of Scottsdale, Arizona, Walt D. Hardin of Sagle, Idaho, and Marci Stotelmeyer (Ronson) of Arnoldsburg, West Virginia. He had 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Walt’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.