JAMES EARL HARDY JR., was born February 20, 1950 in Sunset Beach, NC, the son of the late Reverend James Earl Hardie Sr., and Mary Madalyne Bryant Hardie. 

“Billy”, as he was affectionately known by many, was born and raised on the family farm in Sunset Beach. He, along with his two sisters and four brothers, were raised by their parents to love the land, to be thankful for every day and to depend on and protect each other against the world. Billy took this role seriously, making sure people knew that if you “messed” with him or one of his siblings, they would have the entire “Hardie bunch” to contend with. In the words of his mother, “if one of you gets into a fight, all of you better be in a fight.” This devotion to his siblings continued throughout his life.

Billy grew up in a devoutly Christian household, attending Pleasant View Missionary Baptist Church in Sunset Beach where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age. As a 1968 graduate of Union High School, he was voted “Most Versatile” as a tribute to his outgoing personality, multiple abilities and talent. After graduation, he moved to New Haven, CT with his best friend George Vereen where he worked at a variety of places, including the Winchester Arms Company and Yale-New Haven Hospital. In 1969, he began a career with the US Postal Service as a distribution clerk. 

In 1971, Billy married the love of his life and girlfriend since the 7th grade, Jacqueline (Jackie) of Supply, NC. Desiring to be close to their parents, they moved back home where he continued his career in the postal service for the next 29 years. Through sheer hard work and determination, he became the first black postmaster in Brunswick County, NC at the Supply branch in 1984.  A few years later, he was promoted to postmaster at the Southport branch where he remained until his retirement.

Together Billy and Jackie built a beautiful family with their children Eric, Lamarr, Mark and Ashley. He was a devoted father who instilled in his children the importance of putting God first, hard work, caring for family and pursuing a good education. He was active in the activities of his children, including tennis and baseball.  He was a Dixie Youth baseball coach for several years, serving as a mentor and father figure to many of the kids he worked with. 

Billy’s service extended well into the community where he was well known and deeply regarded for his advocacy for equality and fairness. For years, he served on the Brunswick County board for Social Services and worked with the board of elections. In his free time, he could be found tending to his farm and flourishing garden, offering advice and wisdom to anyone who needed it, "playing his numbers," and cheering passionately for his beloved Tar Heels. However, nothing gave him more joy than gathering with family to cook, play, laugh and reminisce together.

He will be missed deeply by: his wife Jackie of Sunset Beach, children Eric Hardy of Leland; Lamarr Hardy of Leland; Mark Hardy of Supply; and Ashley Hardy of Chicago, IL; sister Earlene Hardie Cox (Maurice) of Southport; brothers Alexander Hardie of Sunset Beach; Ronnie Hardie (Jeanette) of Goldsboro; Jim Hardy (Kyna) of Supply; Anthony Hardie (Melissa) of Atlanta, GA; brother-in-law, Charles Simmons of Supply; 7 nieces; 5 nephews; innumerable cousins and friends. A brother, Jimmie Lee and sister, Marye Catherine preceded him in death.

A viewing will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Brunswick Funeral Service - Shallotte, 5229 Ocean Highway West, Shallotte, NC 28470.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Ocean View Missionary Baptist Church Association Center, 45 Headquarters Road NW, Sunset Beach, NC 28468.

The service will be available for live viewing through the following link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ZVaZ25tyD/?mibextid=wwXIfr

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Billy’s memory to the  Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) Foundation https://give.cholangiocarcinoma.org/JamesEarlHardyJr