David Wayne Hardy

David “Dave” W. Hardy, age 66 of Rawlins, Wyoming passed away March 31, 2025. Dave’s passing was very unexpected as he had no illnesses. He was born July 5, 1958, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Richard Wayne and Joanne Ardella Hardy.

Dave attended grade school through high school in Saratoga, California. He was a jack of all trades. Later in life he became a truck driver, eventually owning his own trucking company. Recently, he began delving into real estate and becoming an entrepreneur.

Dave was intelligent, very kind, caring, sharing, generous and so down-to-earth. His nature was being pure at heart. He loved being with his family and friends always and anytime. He was a free spirit. Always ready for an adventure at any moment. He loved the Grateful Dead and was a “deadhead” to his core. He didn’t have a favorite song – he said he loved them all. He very much liked “Friend of the Devil”. If you asked family and friends, they all would say that was the one he was most partial to. Some of his favorite things to do were going to shows, dancing, driving and traveling. Oh…and gambling! He could be five cents from broke and turn it into hundreds of dollars. He always knew he was going to hit “The Big One”. Dave was an amazing person and a great friend.

Dave always said his greatest accomplishment was his children and family. Although he didn’t belong to any organizations Dave was a volunteer to family, friends and strangers. When someone needed help, Dave was there. He gave with no expectations and without second thoughts.

Dave loved going to Grateful Dead shows and concerts, rock hunting, fishing, and boating. He found peace in nature. He enjoyed collecting random things so he could make other random things. Fixing things, tinkering, saving parts was his specialty.

Dave was preceded by his parents, and his maternal and paternal grandparents. He is survived by his wife Shelly Pepergias Hardy; six children, Nicole Bowen, Trisha Noonan and spouse Peter, Daniel Hardy and spouse Rebecca, and three stepdaughters (but Dave never thought of them as stepdaughters); nine grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; two brothers; two sisters and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Dave’s life will take place from August 6 – 10 at Flaming Gorge in Wyoming. August 9th will be a day and night dedicated to sharing food and stories about and with Dave. Details will be posted on Facebook. Dave would want family and friends to keep in touch with each other.