Lt. Col. Hardy Roberts Stennis, USMC, Retired, 86, died Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Mississippi Veteran Home in Kosciusko, MS. A graveside with full military honors was held Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. at Oddfellows Cemetery in the family plot with Dr. Andy Pearson and Mrs. Sally Pearson officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 162, Macon, MS 39341. Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.
Colonel Stennis grew up in Macon, MS, and finished high school there in 1952. He majored in English and minored in history at the University of Mississippi where he earned his B.A. degree and his Juris Doctorate Degree in Law.
He began his twenty-four-year career in the Marine Corps by completing the NavCad program, receiving his wings and commission in July 1956. At various times he was stationed at Marine Squadrons at El Toro Airbase, California; Iwakuni, Japan; Cherry Point, North Carolina; Beaufort, South Carolina; Da Nang and Chu Lai Airbase, Vietnam; Millington, Tennessee; and twice at NAS Meridian, MS, where he retired in 1978.
He completed tours in fighter jets, both as a pilot and as an instructor. He also logged hours in helicopters and multi-engine aircraft. His combat service in Vietnam included two tours where he logged 230 missions, flying close air support in the A-4 Skyhawk. Honors include Navy Commendation Medal with combat "V", thirteen air medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Medal with bronze star, Navy Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and Vietnam Campaign medal.
After retiring for the Marine Corps, Col. Stennis reopened his father's law office in Macon, MS, where he practiced general law until 1997. He served Noxubee County as Prosecuting Attorney for four years. He has served as Noxubee County's Youth Court Judge and served on the advisory committee to the Mississippi Judicial College for three years. He served as City Judge of Scooba, MS, and Dekalb, MS.
He was a former Chairman of the Board for the Harold Gibson Memorial Library, Macon, MS; former Director of the Noxubee County Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Noxubee County Historical Society; and the First United Methodist Church of Macon.
Hardy was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Patty Stennis of Macon, Mable Roberts Stennis of Macon; and sister, Betty Stennis McKay of Macon.
Col. Stennis is survived by his wife, Martha Evans Stennis of Marion, MS; a stepson Ethan Bond of Meridian, MS; a stepdaughter, Amanda Bond Stokes of Thibodaux, LA; a sister, Mary Loudoun Stennis Terry of Birmingham, AL; six step grandchildren; brother-in-law, J. Bryon Evans of Quitman, MS; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
