Audry Hardy
As presented at the Rohe Era, UT Track & Field Reunion Dinner, by Marvin West on October 3rd, 2014:
Audry Hardy won seven All-America awards competing for Tennessee.
Audry Hardy was twice co-captain of the Volunteers and was honored as the most dedicated track athlete in 1971.
Audry was never mistaken for a dumb jock. He holds a UT degree in business administration.
He earned a masters from Central Michigan. He did advanced studies in accounting at Franklin University.
He worked more than 30 years for Delphi, a global supplier of electronics and technologies. He got as high as manager of production control, logistics and accounting.
Along the way, he gave more than he received. He served as elder-pastor at his church. He was a teacher. He delivered sermons. He did premarital counseling. He officiated at funerals.
He was a facilitator for the Family Dynamics Institute. He served on his township board of zoning. He was a member of Rotary. He was a speaker for the Pocket Testament League.
Along the way, he gave more than he received. He served as elder-pastor at his church. He was a teacher. He delivered sermons. He did premarital counseling. He officiated at funerals.
All that plus retirement sound pretty good to me. So, Audry, what about the rest of your life?
Audry Hardy is executive director of Hope Healing House Foundation in Dublin, Ohio.
He is busy with marriage enrichment seminars, one-on-one life coaching, education, family economics and a few little things like the PREVENTION of domestic abuse.
Audry gives or has given service time with Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Komen Race for the Cure, Allstate Hands in the Community and The Center for Family Safety and Healing.
He is involved in a campaign to reduce youth homelessness. He is a facilitator for Lupus support groups. He is a consultant for the city school system. He helps with Meals on Wheels.
Almost forgot to tell you, Audry sometimes thinks of himself. He remains interested in chess and music.
I present to you a very special Volunteer, AUDRY HARDY.
Since I took a full load every summer, I graduated in 1964 after three years, but I stayed long enough to be part of our first SEC championship in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. I’m very proud of what we accomplished. I learned a lot from my fellow runners as well as Coach Rohe. Nothing was more enjoyable or educational than all the trips we took to meets in other cities. I loved to visit other campuses to see the different styles of architecture and how other college students lived. And the conversations on the trips—especially when Coach Rohe was involved—were as stimulating as any I experienced in the classroom. My involvement with the track program was easily the best part of my undergraduate experience. It’s applicability to my teaching career came in an understanding that all students deserve the type of mentoring that we received. I may not have always succeeded, but I always believed that professors should put their students first—before their research agenda—before any of the other obligations of academic life. Classroom teachers have a lot to learn from good coaches, like Chuck Rohe, not least that they care deeply about the students you teach and that their success should be your first priority. That pretty much sums up my teaching philosophy through a career of well over forty years.”