The Seminole community was dealt a major loss this past week with the passing of a long-time businessman and civic leader.

Howard Edward Hardin, known to most locals as simply “Ed,” died unexpectedly on Monday, Feb. 15 at the age of 71. He was reportedly shoveling snow when he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Hardin was manager and co-owner of Curry-Hardin Furniture, a fixture on the Seminole business front for over 75 years.

Community leaders and friends of Hardin paused recently to express their condolences to the family and reflect on the impact Ed had upon them, both perand

“Ed Hardin, and Curry Hardin Furniture, have been lifelong Seminole Chamber of Commerce members,” said Amy Britt, the chamber’s chief executive officer. “He was always willing to be a part of what was going on in the community. He always had a smile and a kind word for you when you stopped by or called. He and his kindness will be missed.”

Seminole Mayor Jeff Griffin recalled receiving a note of encouragement from Hardin as he first ventured into public service.

“We have a void in Seminole. Ed was a great Christian man and was always a joy to visit with. His energy and politeness is an attribute we should all strive to achieve. The first time I was elected as a city council member, I received a card with a note from Curry-Hardin. That made me feel special. My condolences to the family for their loss,” Griffin said.

Esperanza Swearingen, office manager for Thomas Swearingen, CPA, said she lost not only a client with Hardin’s passing, but a dear friend.

“Tom and I lost a good friend, Ed Hardin. Not only was Ed a client, one of Tom’s first, he was probably the friendliest person in the world,” Swearingen said.

“When Ed would call, Tom or I would talk with him at length about everything, but we would get business done first. When Ed came by the office, he always had a smile on his face or if we went to the furniture store, he was always so positive. He loved his business along with his brother, Joe, and will be missed by thousands of friends and customers,” Swearingen added.

Ed’s father, Bert Hardin, and Tony Curry joined forces to open Curry-Hardin Furniture in September of 1944. The two men went in business together after Bert returned to Seminole from working in a shipyard in California.

The store was originally located on Main Street but was relocated to Milt Phillips in 1997. The buildings on Main were kept for warehousing purposes, but they were destroyed in a fire in October 2016. A luxury residential/commercial complex, “Hardin Landing,” was constructed in 2019 where the furniture store, along with Parks Drug, once stood.

Hardin was a member of the Church of Christ at Seminole where he served as a deacon and was also actively involved with the Seminole Kiwanis Club. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; his son, Rusty and his daughter, Lindsay Churchwell. He co-owned the furniture store with his brother, Joe Hardin.