Thomas Michael Hardy, Sr.

OBITUARY

Thomas Michael Hardy, Sr., 56, of San Diego, California, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2026, from complications associated with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on July 21, 1969, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Constance and Donald Hardy, Tom lived a life defined by faith, family, adventure, service, and friendship. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Arizona and later a master’s degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University.

Tom was an Eagle Scout, an accomplishment that reflected the values he carried throughout his life. Scouting was one of his greatest passions, and he found immense fulfillment in mentoring scouts. He especially enjoyed the frequent backpacking trips with his sons as a way to build character, confidence, friendships, and lifelong memories.

Throughout his career, Tom balanced his experience in commercial real estate with his love of construction. He worked for The Weitz Company in Colorado, Saia Enterprises in Phoenix, and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in San Diego. He was especially proud of his role in the construction of the Carter Keep U.S. Courthouse. He was respected for his integrity, professionalism, and the relationships he built along the way.

Tom will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, unwavering faith, and easygoing spirit. He had a gift for putting others at ease, often diffusing difficult situations with patience, kindness, and a well-timed joke. An adventurer at heart, Tom embraced life with enthusiasm. He loved skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, road cycling, mountain biking, hiking, tennis, the beach, and playing guitar. He was always ready for the next adventure, especially if it could be shared with family or friends.

Above all, Tom’s greatest joy and proudest accomplish- ment was his family. He was a devoted husband and father whose children were the love of his life. Whether cheering them on, sharing adventures, offering quiet encouragement, or simply enjoying time together, Tom treasured every moment with his family. His love, wisdom, and steady presence will remain with them always.

Tom is survived by his loving wife of nearly 23 years, Michelle Welde Hardy; his children, Thomas “TJ” Michael Hardy, Jr., Matthew Hardy, Kathryn Hardy, and Elizabeth “Ellie” Hardy; his parents, Constance and Donald Hardy; his sister and brother-in-law, Pamela and Tim Ronalter; his brother and sister-in-law, Jeffrey and Ellen Hardy; and many beloved in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by knowing him.

A Funeral Mass celebrating Tom’s life will be held on Tuesday, July 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in El Cajon, California.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in Tom’s memory to one of the following organizations: You and Me Aging and Dementia, Lorenzo’s House, Alzheimer’s San Diego, or For Their Thoughts Foundation.

Though Alzheimer’s gradually took so much from Tom, it never diminished the faith, kindness, courage, and love that defined him throughout his life. He leaves behind a legacy of compassion, integrity, adventure, and unwavering devotion to family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving him.

More than 800 birds and two dogs have been removed from a Valley Center property following reports of neglect, San Diego County’s Animal Services announced Friday.

The 820 birds — including 400 ducks — were removed from the property Thursday. County animal services officers were tipped off by their counterparts in Riverside County after the property owner moved to Valley Center.

After obtaining a search warrant for the property in the 11200 block of Lilac Vista Drive, officers spent about 12 hours removing the animals and transporting them to the county’s Bonita and Carlsbad animal shelters for treatment.

All the animals have been removed, a county statement reads.

“Responding to an operation of this size takes dedication and teamwork,” said Dr. Brie Sarvis, director of county animal services and chief veterinarian. “When we arrived, our officers found birds living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Our staff and partners worked tirelessly to ensure these animals were safe, and we’re now focused on giving each one the care they need to recover.”

Pasadena Humane, Chula Vista Animal Services, County Code Compliance, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and Riverside County Animal Control all provided support for the removal of the animals.

Among the birds rescued were ducks, geese, roosters, peacocks, pigeons, parrots and “possibly additional species,” the county statement read.

Each animal is being evaluated by veterinary staff. San Diego Humane Society will also be providing veterinary support over the next few days to help manage ongoing care needs.

According to the county, the ongoing care of the large number of birds will be supported by the Animal Services Spirit Medical Fund, which supports animals arriving at county shelters with serious medical needs or complicated circumstances.

The public can help by donating to the fund at https://www.sddac.com/content/sdc/das/donate-volunteer/donate.html. Every dollar donated to the Spirit Fund goes directly to animal care — none is used for administrative costs, the county says.

Animal Services will continue to investigate, and next steps in the enforcement process are yet to be determined.