Charles (Chuck) L. Hardwick

Charles Leighton Hardwick, Obituary

Charles Leighton Hardwick (“Chuck”) passed from this life on February 19, 2025, at the age of 83. He had a life well lived as a New Jersey legislator, a business leader, and most importantly as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend.

Chuck’s childhood in Somerset, Kentucky was poor in material things but rich in love and faith. Chuck’s mother died when he was five years old, and he was largely cared for by older siblings Joseph, David, and Fannie, who always knew him as “Charlie.”

As a junior high school student, Chuck moved to Akron, Ohio with his father. He helped support the family beginning at age 12 with a paper route and work at the local movie theater and grocery store. At age 17, he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Johnson Hardwick. Their daughter Virginia (“Ginger”) Hardwick was born soon after, followed two years later by their son Chuck, Jr. Although Chuck was the father of two by the time he was twenty years old, he was able to attend Florida State University for the study of “Baking Science Management” on a full scholarship from Wonder Bread, where his father was a maintenance worker. He excelled there and graduated in three years, then stayed and obtained an MBA. Chuck was proud to have been involved in early civil rights causes while a student at FSU.

While still in his early 20’s, Chuck began to work in sales for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.

He rose quickly through the ranks and a promotion in 1970 brought him to Westfield, New Jersey. In 1977, Chuck was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly. He served as Speaker of the Assembly from 1985 until 1990 and he was Chair of the National Association of State Legislatures. In 1989, he ran for the Republican nomination for Governor. He fought against the introduction of casino gambling, implemented protections to avoid strip searches of people arrested for minor offenses, and improved adoption processes by providing medical information of birth parents. He was praised by Ronald Reagan for his service and even his political opponents respected his intellect and integrity.

 After retiring from politics in 1990, Chuck devoted himself to his career at Pfizer, rising to Senior Vice President of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs. He traveled the world, meeting with world leaders. He established philanthropy programs worldwide, including an AIDS hospital in Uganda and programs for the treatment of trachoma.

 In 2002 Chuck married Sheilagh Mylott, and they remained devoted to one another until his last day. Chuck and Sheilagh’s son Austin is now 16 years old.

 Chuck remained intellectually curious and interested in world affairs throughout his life. He was a voracious reader, with a special love for history and biography. He read The New York Times daily, even as he sometimes decried its liberal bias. In 2019 and 2020, he was featured in The New York Times in two opinion pieces by Roger Cohen, whom he had met on a trip to the Middle East, and who described Chuck as a “sane, moderate Republican.” In 2022, he returned to Florida State’s School of Business to endow the Chuck Hardwick Awards for excellence in teaching.

Chuck developed his passion for music from Metropolitan Opera broadcasts that he heard on the radio as a child. In retirement, he served on the Board of the Palm Beach Opera. Chuck and Sheilagh frequently entertained out-of-town performers in their home in Palm Beach Gardens. He spent many of his last days listening to an eclectic mix of the gospel music of his childhood, the soulful lyrics of Leonard Cohen, his nephew’s viola, and the irreverent comic songs of his grandson Ben Lapidus.

Chuck traveled the world with Sheilagh and other family members. Thanks to his generosity, Chuck’s children and grandchildren had the gift of travel to places as diverse as Vietnam, Iran, Turkmenistan, Italy, France, and Spain.

Chuck was devoted to his extended family, hosting many holidays, reveling in grilling meat and making sure that everyone had their favorite beverage. He found innumerable ways to support his many nieces and nephews, helping them to follow their dreams. Chuck was ever the loving father to his children Austin, Ginger and Chuck, Jr. and grandather to his three grandchildren, Jake, Sarah, and Ben Lapidus. Chuck’s grandchildren have always known that their granddad had their back, and that he was immensely proud of them.

 In March 2024, Chuck was diagnosed with ALS. He showed immense courage through the progression of a difficult illness. It was a spiritual as well as a physical journey. Chuck was the person who had always been in charge, who always took care of everyone, and he learned to accept help with grace and humor. Although the illness diminished his ability to speak in his final months, his eyes shone brightly with love for all of the family who surrounded him, and his quick wit and wisdom was still evident as he communicated with hand signals and spelling. He was laughing and joking until the end and always showing concern about the well-being of those he loved.

 A leader in the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach and a man of faith, Chuck looked forward to being united after death with those he most loved who went before him – his father, Joseph Hardwick, his mother, Lucy Hall Hardwick, his siblings, Joseph Hardwick, David Hardwick, and Fannie Feltner, his sister-in-law, Evelyn Hardwick and his son-in-law Steven Lapidus. He will be deeply mourned and missed by his wife Sheilagh Mylott; his children Ginger Hardwick, Chuck Hardwick, Jr. (Helen Dao), and Austin Hardwick; his grandchildren Jake Lapidus, Sarah Lapidus, and Ben Lapidus; and all those touched through his remarkable life.

 Chuck was a philanthropist. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in his name to Royal Poinciana Chapel, Place of Hope, or Doctors Without Borders.

A visitation will be held on Monday, February 24, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Quattlebaum Funeral Home, 6411 Parker Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida. A funeral service will be held at Royal Poinciana Chapel, 60 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday February 25 at 11 a.m. Chuck’s family and friends are invited to join in a luncheon at Royal Poinciana Chapel immediately following the funeral. On Friday, February 28, 2025, visitation will be held at Gray’s Funeral Home, 12 Springfield Avenue, Cranford, New Jersey at 10:30 a.m., followed by a graveside service at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon at Ferraro’s in Westfield, New Jersey immediately following the sevices.