Boscawen, NH – Rhoda Ethel Woodbury Hardy passed away peacefully Friday, May 1, 2026, at her family farm in Boscawen, NH. Born in Boscawen, August 12, 1933, the daughter of the late Ruby (Keneson) and Lester Woodbury, Rhoda was a resident of Boscawen her entire life.
She started playing the piano at age four and started playing the tracker action organ when she was twelve at the Boscawen Congregational Church, U.C.C., where she became a member at the age of eleven years old. At the age of sixteen, she graduated Concord High School, a member of the Class of 1949. After high school she worked for the State of NH. She then worked at Capital Offset and later was a part of the group who started the company known as Village Press. After leaving Village Press, Rhoda started her own business named Hardy Graphics doing typesetting and providing camera ready copies that turned into town reports, business cards, and books. She retired from United Life and Accident Insurance Company/Chubb Insurance Company in 1997.
Her volunteerism included many different passions, including being a Sunday School teacher, senior companion through the AmeriCorps Organization program, and the Boscawen Ladies Aid. Rhoda was very active in 4-H as a leader, participating in choral competitions by providing piano accompaniment and teaching projects. She served the Town of Boscawen in several different capacities over the years to include membership on the Planning Board, the Board of Selectman, a Cemetery Trustee, the Budget Committee, the Old Home Day Committee, the Recycling Committee, and the Police Commission for multiple terms. Some of Rhoda’s proudest achievements to the town of Boscawen included helping to start Hilda’s Food Pantry and being instrumental in applying for and receiving funds to assist with the restoration of the former Boscawen Elementary School which is now the town office complex. Each year, she also helped create the Annual Report for the town of Boscawen including this year’s latest copy.
Rhoda was a life-long member of the Priscilla Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star and organist of 38 years for the Horace Chase Lodge #72, Free and Accepted Masons. In 2019, she became a member of the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton. She was nominated for Concord Monitor’s Hometown Hero award in 2023 and was a recipient of the Spirit of NH Volunteer Service Award in 2021. She was also a member of good standing in the NH State Grange.
She was predeceased by her loving husband of 58 years Harold McLeod Hardy, her brothers Roger Woodbury and Herbert Woodbury, and sisters Hilda Goodnow and Winifred Langtry. She is survived by her sister-in-law Mabel Woodbury, her sons Alan Hardy and his wife, Pamela, of Boscawen, Philip Hardy, and his wife, Pamela Clark, of Lakeland FL; daughters Diane Hardy and her partner, Elaine Merrifield, of Troy, Mary Meier and her husband, Roy, of Concord NH; a very close friend, Barbara Johnson of Brigantine, NJ; grandchildren David Merrifield, Meghan Barton, Anne Garland, Kate Mardirosian, Heather Tucker, Devon Fitts, Chelsae O’Halloran, Jared Hardy and Shelbi Vidal; great-grandchildren Garrett, Isabelle, Andrew, Wyatt, Justin, Andie, Morgan, Maren, Arabella, Potter, Teagan, Declan, Brynn, Micah, Easton, and Alex; and an extended family of nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at Avaloch Farm Music Institute at 16 Hardy Lane in Boscawen on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 1:30 pm. Memorial donations may be sent to the NH Food Bank in her name. The Cremation Society of New Hampshire, Boscawen, is assisting the family with arrangements.
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