Briant and Iona Hardesty Memorial Scholarship
About Briant and Iona Hardesty
James Briant Hardesty was born September 11, 1912 in Pratt County, Kansas, where he resided all his life. After graduating from Pratt High School, he attended Friends University in Wichita. He was active in Pratt community affairs, social organizations and Pratt county activities. Along with farming, he worked in various occupations, including the Kansas State Highway Department.
Iona Bertha Helsel Hardesty was born January 16, 1910 in Liberal, Kansas. Her family moved to Pratt County when she was four years old, where she lived until her death. Upon her graduation from Pratt High School, she attended McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas and became a teacher at the elementary school in Tulley, Kansas. Iona was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, the Rebecca Lodge and the Afternoon Study Club. James and Iona were two of the founders of the Pratt County Historical Society, where they served as officers and Board members for several years.