- Date Of Birth: February 6, 1940
- Date Of Death: August 11, 2021
- State: Colorado
Eldridge Hardie, age 81, died at home on August 11, 2021. Eldridge was born on a small ranch near Boerne, Texas in 1940 and grew up in El Paso, where he attended Austin High School. He enrolled at the Washington University School of Fine Art in Saint Louis, where he graduated first in his class with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1964. Eldridge married Ann Zeldenrust in 1968 and made Denver home.
Throughout his life, Eldridge pursued his passions of bird hunting and fly fishing, which inspired his career in sporting art. A lifetime of his paintings and drawings, as well as notes, journal entries and other writings can be found in magazines, books, and the homes of his family and collectors. Eldridge summed up his long career by saying, “I was born to hunt, fish, and make art about these passions.”
Eldridge cherished his family and friends, expressing his love through small acts such as bringing Ann coffee every morning, carefully planning outings where his companion always got the best fishing hole, and being an attentive, compassionate listener.
In recent years, Eldridge focused on completing the second of two books of his art. Following its publication in 2019, he assumed a relaxed painting schedule and enjoyed more time outdoors with everyone from his oldest friends to his youngest grandchildren.
In reflecting on his life, Eldridge felt satisfied he’d accomplished many of his goals while having opportunities and enriching experiences he’d never imagined.
Eldridge is survived by his wife, Ann Hardie, his two children, Abigail Kovach (John Keith) and Tom Hardie (Kristin), four grandchildren, Hollan Hardie, Ana Kovach, Charlie Kovach, and Morgan Hardie, his brother, LeBron Hardie, and one almost-fully-trained retriever, Zinnia. Eldridge was preceded in death by his parents, LeBron and Alice Hardie, and his sister, Alice Walters.
Metro Caring,
Smile Train,
Earth Justice,
