Martha Hardy Lott, 63, of Falls Church, Virginia, died on Sept. 10, 2019, from complications related to a stroke.
Hardy was born on July 7, 1956, in Greenwood. She graduated from Brenau Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, as its 1974 valedictorian and then attended Hollins College (now Hollins University) in Roanoke, Virginia, graduating in 1978.
Hardy spent her entire career on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. — first in various capacities for U.S. Rep. and then U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, followed by several years as director of scheduling for Newt Gingrich, speaker of the House of Representatives. Hardy then returned as director of scheduling for Sen. Lott during his tenures as Republican leader and Republican whip. Hardy retired after a short stint as director of scheduling for Sen. Roger Wicker.
In her years in the Washington, D.C., area, Hardy founded and led the One by One Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting underprivileged youth in the Anacostia area of D.C. She was a stalwart and much-loved member of the congregation of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Annandale, Virginia. Hardy also became a world traveler — Christmas in Morocco, springtime in China and her 50th birthday in Hanoi, among many other places. But when all is said and done, Hardy was and remains a true daughter of Mississippi.
Hardy was preceded in death by her parents, Frances and Hardy Lott (Greenwood), and by her two sisters, Frances Lott Williams (Clarksdale) and Edna Lott Franklin (Greenwood). She is survived by her sister, Marley Lott of Houston, Texas; her niece and best friend, Frances Williams Ware (“Baby F”) of Jackson; her nephew, Webster Franklin of Tunica; her niece, Lansdale Franklin Playford of Memphis; her brother-in-law, Webb Franklin of Greenwood and lastly by her German shepherd, Beau, late of Falls Church, Virginia, and now of Jackson.
Services celebrating Hardy’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, followed by a reception/visitation at the church. Wilson & Knight Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, MS 38930; to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 6800 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003; or to the Wilson Research Foundation (the fundraising arm of Methodist Rehabilitation Center), 1350 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39216.
An online guestbook may be signed at www.wilsonandknight.com.