Donald J. Hargadon

Donald J. Hargadon, born in Darlington, WI, in 1918, and a long-time resident of Indianapolis, passed away peacefully on the morning of December 6, 2016. He was 98. He was preceded in death by his wife, Emily Snyder Hargadon, and his daughter, Helen Hargadon Dalby. Don began his work life at Wisconsin Bell in Milwaukee as a lineman, cable splicer and central office repairman before he was drafted to serve in WW II. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1942 to 1946 in the Pacific theater. After being discharged from the U.S. Army in 1946 as a First Lieutenant, he enrolled at Purdue University where he earned a BA in Electrical Engineering. While at Purdue, he met, and subsequently married, Emily Snyder (known to all as Sue) and moved to Indianapolis to start their life and family. Don began his career at Indiana Bell as an engineer, eventually rising to Chief Statistician responsible for market research, and scientific sampling studies. After taking early retirement from Indiana Bell, he went to work at Walker Research, where he built a new utility research division. He served as President of the Indiana Chapters of the American Statistical and American Marketing Associations Don was an active member of the Indiana National Guard until the early 1970s. He also contributed to community service as a director and governor of the Indiana chapter of Sertoma International, as a board member of the Indiana State Board of Health Advisory Committee, and as Chair of the Cable Franchise Board for Marion County, a post to which he was appointed by the Mayor of Indianapolis. He was active for over 30 years with the Nora-Northside Community Council, where he led efforts to create the Monon Bike Trail and the tree-lined median on 86th Street. Don was a champion speed skater and bike racer in Wisconsin prior to World War II. He was an avid golfer all his life and played regularly until age 90. He is remembered by members of Meridian Hills Country Club for his gentlemanly character and a mean short game. He is survived by his daughter, Cindy Hargadon of Stamford, CT, and his son, Scott Hargadon (Selima) of Milwaukee, WI, and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s honor to the Evans Scholars Foundation. Visitation will be held Monday, December 12, from 3 PM to 6PM, at Leppert Mortuary at 740 East 86th Street, Indianapolis. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on December 13, at 10:30 AM, at St. Luke Catholic Church, 7650 North Illinois Street, Indianapolis. Burial with full military honors will occur at St. Paul Cemetery in Chestertown, MD, on December 17.

Donald J. Hargadon

October 21, 1918 - December 6, 2016