Keeping Our Friends & Family Up-To-Date

Many of you have asked about our daughters, so I have included an update on each of them.

Hardy Coon

September 16, 1935 - August 7, 2014

Hardtner (Hardy) Lavelle Coon passed away on August 7, 2014, after a long hard battle with cancer.

Hardy was born on September 16, 1935 and raised in the Belah farming community, a short distance from Jena, Louisiana.  He was preceded in death by his parents William J. Coon and Edna R. Coon; by his sisters Ida Belle Postlewait, Willie Katherine Roberts, and his brother Alva Leo Coon.

Hardy is survived by Jeanette M. Coon, his loving wife of almost 51 years; by two daughters, Linda Suzanne Perkins and husband Ben of Houston, Texas, Sharon Elizabeth Reed of Davidson, North Carolina, by grandchildren Michael Aaron Reed and Allison Elizabeth Reed of Davidson, North Carolina and by Jenna Marie Wise of Houston, Texas; and by brothers Alonzo Wilson Coon and Wayne Hansford Coon, both of Shreveport, Louisiana.  In addition, he is survived by several nephews and nieces scattered within the USA.

Hardy attended Jena High School where he graduated Valedictorian of his class with a 4-year straight-A average.  He then attended L.S.U. in Baton Rouge, LA.  He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, the Geologic and Mining Society, a member of the Student Senate, Vice-President of the College of Arts & Science (largest college) and a Squadron Leader in the Air Force ROTC.  He graduated with a BS Professional Degree in Geology and was also commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve.

After graduation from LSU, he began his long career in oil and gas exploration – starting with the Carter Oil Company (a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey {now Exxon}) in Shreveport, LA – then to Tulsa and Shawnee, Oklahoma.  He was called to Active Duty in the Air Force and earned his Navigation Wings at Harlingen, TX and subsequently earned his RIG (Radar Intercept Officer) Wings at Waco, TX, where he became a Rio Flight Instructor for the remainder of his three plus year assignment. He was discharged as a First Lieutenant.  He was active in the Air Force Reserve for the next 10 years and resigned as a Captain.

After his active duty, he returned to the Carter Oil Company in Shreveport, LA until it was merged with Humble Oil & Refining Co. (now Exxon) and then assigned to New Orleans, LA and subsequently to Corpus Christi, TX until the office was closed.  He then went overseas for 15 years straight – with 5 years in Sydney, Australia, 5 years in Singapore and 5 years in London before returning to Houston, TX, where he was assigned as Chief Geophysicist of Esso Eastern (Exxon affiliate) until it closed. – Then to Houston headquarters of Exxon Yemen, from which he took early retirement in 1991.

He then formed his own consulting company, Houston International Consulting, Inc. and worked on exploration and production projects on six of the seven continents and was active until being diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer.

Hardy was a member of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), Houston Geologic Society (HGS), Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH), Society of Independent Earth Scientists (SIPE), The Petroleum Club of Houston, The Petroleum Club Dance Club, The River Oaks Dance Club, and the Knife and Fork Club of Houston. Hardy’s hobbies were travel, golf, cooking, dance, fishing and his favorite of all was being an avid fan of the LSU Fighting Tigers Football Team.



 Sharon, Michael, Allison

Sharon remains busy, recently accepting a part-time leadership consulting role at a Charlotte-based training company, while continuing her work with Allison on a women and girls’ empowerment project they co-founded, the Global Girls Project. Sharon is also enjoying her volunteer work with UN Women as a global community champion for women’s economic empowerment, where she’s working with other men and women from around the world to advance opportunities for women worldwide.

Michael is now a junior at Hough High School in Cornelius, NC, and will assume the steering wheel full-time when he receives his driving permit in September!  With two college visits already behind him to NC State and Texas A&M, he’ll be busy this fall with more college visits and SAT prep, as well as his on-going activities with JROTC, the Hough wrestling team, and Boy Scouts.

 Allison is entering the 7^th grade at Bailey Middle School in Cornelius, NC, and is excited to have electives in art, dance and theater this year. Quite the artist, she continues her passion for drawing animals, and most recently, designing and constructing full fur costumes (imaging a college animal mascot fur suit), which she hopes to sell. She’s also excited to be joining the Girls Scouts and a local rec soccer team with her friends this fall.



 Remembering Hardy

 Hardy Coon

1935 - 2014

Jeanette

Jeanette is doing fine - thanks to so many family and friends. She has had some health problems but keeps getting stronger day by day.



Linda, Ben, Jenna

Linda and Ben are settling into married life, with Ben getting used to parenthood and Linda working on getting their home decorated and organized. Jenna enjoyed her summer filled with travel (including joining Ben and Linda on their honeymoon to Hawaii), cooking adventures and a reading program at St. Thomas University. She is a little nervous but excited about going to a new school this year, where she will be an Emmott Eagle in 4th grade.

Linda is working part-time as an independent copywriter and marketing/PR consultant. Her primary client is CD Group, a technology company where she worked full-time as Marketing Manager for several years until shortly before she and Ben married. In addition to consulting, Linda is also working on some ministry projects including a blog and book on faith.

Ben is in his 12th year at EMC, where he is a Consulting Software Engineer. He has been working the past two years on their flagship "cloud" storage product ViPR, which launched last fall, leading teams in both the US and China.