Charles Erwin Hardies, 85, of Severna Park, MD, passed away on Friday, May 23, 2014, following a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. The third and youngest child of Albert and Harriet (Chew) Hardies, Chuck was born on Saturday, February 9, 1929 in New Brighton, PA. He was raised with his brother Albert and sister Elsie in Beaver Falls, PA. He graduated from Beaver Falls High School and subsequently earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Geneva College. Following a two-year tour in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, stationed in Korea during the Korean War, he attended Carnegie Technical Institute (now known as Carnegie Mellon University) where he earned a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1954 he met the love of his life, Shirley Lee Ray. They were married in Butler, PA on April 6, 1954 and earlier this year celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They settled in Butler and began a family.

Chuck initially worked for Magnetics Corporation where he published several technical papers. He was transferred to Newtown, Connecticut in 1961, where he and Shirley raised Vicki, Charles Jr., and Robert. In 1963, Chuck accepted a job offer with Westinghouse Electric Company, where he would work for the rest of his career. He moved his family to Peters Township, PA, where they lived on a rural country lane, surrounded by farmland. His work involved development of nuclear powered rocket propulsion, for which he was awarded a patent for a wide range nuclear power monitoring instrument. In 1971, he transferred to the Westinghouse Oceanic Division in Annapolis, MD and moved his family to Severna Park, MD. He retired from Westinghouse in 1992, and began a career as a golf ranger, so he never needed to buy another golf ball.

At work and at home Chuck was known for his dry and prolific wit and love of passionate and precise argument. He enjoyed golf, tennis and bridge, and always maintained his passion for the Pittsburgh Steeler, Pirates and Penguins.
When his boys were younger, Chuck was active in leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America. Throughout his career he was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. As a lifelong devout Presbyterian, he was a member of the congregation of Woods Memorial Church in Severna Park.
Chuck is survived by his wife, Shirley, of Severna Park, and children Vicki Rangus of Ashland, VA, Charles Hardies, Jr. of Mesa, AZ, and Robert Hardies (married to Mary Hardies) of Chesapeake Beach, MD. He is also survived by his older brother Albert Hardies, of Aliquippa, PA and his older sister Elsie McConville, of New Waterford, Ohio and four grandchildren, Owen and Matt Rangus, of Ashland, VA, Chelsea Gallihugh, of Prince Frederick, MD, and Rachael Hardies, of Montreal, Quebec, CA.

A Memorial gathering will be held on Tuesday June 10, 2014 from 1-2:00pm with a Memorial Service to follow at 2:00pm in the Barranco & Sons,P.A Severna Park Funeral Home 495 Ritchie Hwy. Severna Park, MD 21146.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to The American Chestnut Land Trust, P.O. Box 2363, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 (acltweb.org). And to SPAN P.O. Box 626 400 Benfield Rd Severna Park, MD 21146