"Professor Hardisty taught me criminal procedure in the 1990s. Although I went to an Ivy League college, I wanted to practice law in Seattle. Being in his class felt like Harvard. He was a true devotee of the classic Socratic method, made familiar in "The Paper Chase." For his exam, I memorized the holdings of hundreds of Supreme Court cases that remain with me still. In an era where students resent having to work or spend their time in class surfing the web on their laptops, I am so fortunate to have been taught by the best of the old school. May his memory be a blessing."
In loving memory of
James Herbert Hardisty
February 23, 1941 - December 30, 2024
Following a long battle with cancer, James Herbert Hardisty passed away peacefully, with his wife Diane at his side, in their home on Mercer Island, WA, on December 30, 2024. Jim was born on February 23, 1941, in Minneapolis, MN, to the late George and Eunice Hardisty.
Jim is survived by his wife Diane, his brother John, his children Frank, Susan, David, Amy, and Sarah, his children-in-law Hyangja, Michael, and Kirstin, his nephew Roman, and his five grandchildren: Colton, Nathan, Hannah, Lena, and Alex. Jim loved his family dearly, and he will be dearly missed.
Jim was a life-long intellectual and committed educator. He was deeply appreciative of the hard work and commitment to learning of his parents and grandparents, and saw excelling in education as a way to continue their legacy. After graduating from Harvard University (magna cum laude) and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude and Harvard Law Review), Jim practiced law in Cleveland, OH, for three years. He then found his calling as a Professor at the University of Washington School of Law, where he worked for over 40 years.
Jim was careful and conscientious in all aspects of his life. He would follow rules and laws to the letter, and his "Safety first!" mantra still rings in the ears of his children. Jim was also a fierce competitor, in games, sports, and life. Growing up in Edina, Minnesota, he fell in love with baseball, playing and watching games with his brother John. Jim was a long-suffering and devoted Mariners fan, and a joyful fan of the UW Huskies football team. He enthusiastically supported his five kids, spanning two marriages, through all their athletic, as well as scholastic, endeavors. While Jim was an avid chess player, he was perhaps best known for his love for Monopoly (including a custom, clarifying set of "house rules"), which he continued to play right until the end.
Jim was an avid reader and student of history, and in his later years he returned again and again to Lincoln's second Inaugural address, attaching special meaning to the following passage, which he quoted frequently: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in."
(A memorial service was held at the Mercer Island Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 3pm. A recording of the service is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEE0rCe47co . In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to UW Medicine Fund at https://together.uw.edu/Campaign/jimhardisty )