Forrest Richard Hardt

Forrest Hardt passed away on April 18, 2025, at the age of 85, at his daughter's home, Keizer, Oregon. Forrest was born on May 22, 1939, in Ritzville, Washington.

Forrest grew up on the family farm near Batum, Washington. He graduated from Ritzville High School and later obtained an Associate Degree in Photography from Spokane Community College.

Forrest married Charlotte Hardt in 1959. They had three children, Mary Mae, Sean, and Dawn, and fostered several teenage boys.

Forrest owned and operated Tree Heart Ranch Ltd near Ritzville for thirty-two years, raising wheat, grass seed, pigs, peacocks, and cattle. He was a member of the Adams County Cattlemen and the Washington Wheat Growers; a founding Board Member of the Ritzville Rodeo; and served as President of the Washington Flying Farmers. After moving to Spokane, Forrest opened Visual Impact Studio, often doing Photography for the National Rural Health Association.

Forrest had an insatiable curiosity and zest for life. His interests ranged from a lifelong interest in photography and birding to fly fishing, silver jewelry making, trap shooting, team roping, snowmobiling, scuba diving, and sailing. Forrest loved to travel. He participated in a "People to People" tour of South American agriculture; flew his plane throughout North and Central America and to the Bahamas; birded in Bolivia, Peru, and Columbia; sailed the British Virgin Islands; and spent ten years in retirement RV traveling through the continental United States before settling by the lake in Moses Lake, Washington.

Forrest was an EMT for Ritzville Memorial Hospital and a fire and disaster volunteer for the American Red Cross while living in Spokane. After Hurricane Katrina, he and his wife served with the Mennonite Disaster Service, spending winter months rebuilding houses in Louisiana and Dulzura, California.

Forrest was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Martha Hardt, his brother Melvin Hardt, and his sister Grace Griffith. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Charlotte Hardt; daughter Mary Mae Hardt and her spouse Scott Andrews of Mount Vernon, Washington, son Sean of Spokane, Washington, and daughter Dawn and her spouse Todd Lehman of Keizer, Oregon; grandchildren Varick Andrews, Claire Andrews, Havela McKenney, Kyra Romanowitz, and Zoe Lehman; and great-grandchildren Kahlyn Litwiller, Kennen and Xaden McKenney; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 PM on Monday, April 28, 2025 at Menno Mennonite Church, 1378 N Damon Rd, Ritzville, Washington. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Forrest's memory to the Mennonite Disaster Service. A private burial will be at the Menno Mennonite church cemetery.