Marcia Adell (Anklam) Hardie, 87, of Chippewa Falls and formerly of Taylor died Thursday, Jan. 29. Marcia was born Feb. 6, 1938 in Adams County, WI to Rudolph and Virginia (Blabaum) Anklam. Her mother died in childbirth when Marcia was 2 and she and her father moved to live with her grandparents Walter and Adella Blabaum in Highland, WI, where she went to school.

Marcia enrolled in the teacher's school at Wisconsin State College at Platteville where she met Robert Hardie, who was a student at the Platteville Mining and Engineering School. The couple married Aug. 29, 1959 in Muscoda, WI and moved to Bethlehem, PA for three years where Bob worked as a mining engineer.

They moved to Hales Corners, Wis., in 1963 when Bob worked for Nordberg Manufacturing in Milwaukee. In 1970 they moved to the homestead farm in the town of Franklin and began dairy farming with Bob's uncle and aunt Leland and Sara Clair on the farm started by Bob's grandparents Ray and Hilda Hardie.

Marcia began teaching in 1972 in the Melrose-Mindoro School District, where she taught her son Kevin in junior high and also was her son Chris's second-grade teacher. She then began teaching in the Taylor School District and moved into administration, becoming the school's principal.

Marcia continued to work in education after the consolidation of the Blair and Taylor school districts, working as a guidance counselor, at risk coordinator and in other positions. She was part of the Hardie trio of educators that also included her son Kevin and his wife Kathryn. She continued to substitute teach and help out even after she retired full-time from education.

Marcia also played a large role in the farm. She was instrumental in the expansion and improvement of the dairy herd with investments in purebred Holsteins. Marcia would spend many hours with a catalog poring over potential bulls for the farm's breeding program.

Marcia also was in charge of the farm's calf-feeding program, raised chickens and always had a companion dog or two. She also cooked for her family and for the farm's hired help, which included a hired hand and sometimes many nephews in the summer during the haying season.

Both Bob and Marcia were active members of North Beaver Creek Lutheran Church, where they would bring eggs to sell at the end of service, with the proceeds donated to ELCA World Hunger. In 2007 Marcia survived two cerebral hemorrhages but after a long hospital stay and several surgeries returned home and resumed her normal life. The family was blessed with the additional years with her.

Marcia was proud of her German heritage and was fond of wearing a t-shirt that read: "An ornery German is a sour kraut."

Marcia moved into assisted living in 2022, residing at Eagle Crest in Onalaska and Grandview Care Center in Blair before moving to Rutledge Home in Chippewa Falls in 2024. She was always smiling and greeting staff, fellow residents and visitors.

Marcia is survived by her sons Kevin (Kathryn) Hardie of Eau Claire; Chris (Sherry) Hardie of West Salem; five grandchildren - Matthew Hardie of Oakdale, MN; Nicholas (Danielle) Hardie of New York; Rachel (Josh) Ranney of Chippewa Falls; Jessica (Josh) Benrud of Onalaska; Ross (Lucy) Hardie of New Lisbon and 7 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, an infant son Eric and her granddaughter-in-law Jenni. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16 at North Beaver Creek Lutheran Church (white building) followed by interment in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the church beginning at noon.

Memorials may be designated for ELCA World Hunger.