Submitted by: Dan Rich

Eugene J. Hardig

Nov. 24, 1901 – Feb. 6, 1987

South Bend Tribune 2/6/1987

Eugene J. Hardig, 85, of 1927 New London Court, former vice president of engineering at both Studebaker Corporation and Avanti Moter Corporatrion, died at 6 a.m. today in St. Joseph Medical Center. He joined Studebaker as a detail draftsman in 1918 and came up through the engineering departmen to become chief engineer in 1955 and vice president in 1960. He retired in 1964, and the joined the newly formed Avanti Motor Corp. and spent 19 years at Avanti.

He was born Nov. 24, 1901in Ciccinnati and had lived in South Bend since 1926 coming from Detroit. On Nov. 3, 1926, in Detroit, he married Rosemary P. Higgins. She died Sept. 9, 1986. He is survived by a daughter Rosemary C. Shafer of South Bend; three sons, James E. of South Bend, Edward W. of Granger and Eugene W. of Statesville, N.C.; 21 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in the Hickey Funeral Home. He was a member of the church, Society of Automotive Engineers, Elks Lodge 235, Morris Park Country Club and Knight of Columbus. Memorial contributions may be made to the Christ Child Society.