Laura Elizabeth Bardo

Laura Elizabeth Bardo (born Lore Elisabeth Gertz) lived a life of love for 96 years and 5 months. Our sweet precious Mom passed to Heaven on Thursday, November 30, 2023, and is now with Dad and Jesus. She was one of the Greatest Generation.
Lore was born on Tuesday, June 21, 1927 (the first day of summer) as the only child to Robert Andreas Gertz and Sophie Elisabeth Apfel Gertz in Mannheim, Germany. Mom had polio as a child, and her mother wrapped her foot every night so that the damaged tendons would grow as normally as possible.
Mom was the sweetest kindest lady! She was a friend to all. She never had a bad word about anybody. She loved to cook and bake for those she loved. She always had a beautiful smile and a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes when she would talk with you.
She had a rough life growing up in Germany during World War II, running from Allied bombing and keeping out of the Hitler Youth. She and her family were bombed out of 3 homes, and she lost her pet parakeet Hansi in one of the bombings. The one thing she always protected by carrying with her to every school and bomb shelter was her photograph album filled with photos of her youth and family, which we still have. After the war, she worked for the American Military Government HQ in Heidelberg, and met Dad there in 1945 when he came in on business. Dad had fought as a forward observer, military police, and officers’ driver under GEN Patton, commander of the Third Army that rushed through Germany to defeat the German Army. When driving for GEN Patton for a short time, Patton asked to meet Dad’s fiancee, so they drove across the square from the AMG HQ and Mom came down from her family’s apartment to meet GEN Patton. Patton told Dad, “You better keep her!”
Mom came in June 1947 to the U.S. on an American military plane, stopping in London. The British were still furious over German bombing, and refused to serve the German war brides any food or drink. She landed in the U.S. at the age of 19, turned 20 a week later, and a week after that (Saturday, June 28, 1947) married Dad at the Epworth Methodist Church in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania. They were married 51 ½ years before his passing.
We spent our early years in Jersey Shore (outside Williamsport, the home of the Little League). After going to Germany with Mom to visit her parents in 1956 for the whole summer, we came back home to find out that Dad had accepted a job with Bell Helicopter in Hurst, Texas, to better himself and provide better opportunities for his 2 children. We had visions of cowboys and horses and going to school in a buckboard. Both kids had successful careers – Joy with Southwest Airlines and Bob with LTV Aerospace and its successor Lockheed Martin.
In our first neighborhood after moving to Hurst, Texas, Mom and the other moms got together monthly in a club they named IDKDY -- because when they were trying to come up with a name, everyone kept saying, "I Don't Know, Do You?" They celebrated, supported each other, and enjoyed the camaraderie for over 50 years. Only 3 ladies now remain. Early in Texas, she and Dad enjoyed bowling. Mom also enjoyed playing bridge with another group of friends. She cherished her church friends, and prayed for them.
Mom was so happy to live long enough to see all 6 of her great-grandchildren! She got to spend the Friday after Thanksgiving with both her kids and both grandkids and their 4 spouses and all 6 great-grandkids -- one week before her passing.
Mom passed one month after the 25th anniversary of our Dad's passing.
When Dad was dying on October 31, 1998, my sister Joy and I told him it was OK for him to go, because we would take care of Mom. We kept our promise, and enjoyed 25 years of being blessed by being with Mom and caring for her. We made sure that she never was bedridden or had to be in a nursing home. We would try to be with her every day. Thousands of card games were played (especially Skip-Bo, Uno, and Phase 10), and she won her share. We watched hundreds of game shows together, and Mom would give the answers before the contestants could.
There will never be another lady like her.
Our hearts are hurting, but we know she is with Dad and Jesus, her parents and Dad's parents, her best friend Barbara Brandon, and other friends and family. We miss her terribly, but will see her again in Heaven when it is our turn to make the great journey.
Dad and Mom were founding members of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Hurst in 1961. Dad served on the Church Council and both Mom and Dad served in many capacities. Over the more than 60 years, Mom crocheted about 60 prayer shawls for church members who were ill or dying.
We will be asking for no flowers, but donations to the Allen and Laura Bardo Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 504 W. Bedford-Euless Road, Hurst, Texas 76053. Mom took such great joy in seeing that this fund since our Dad's passing has already provided 37 scholarships to our youth.
Laura was preceded in death by her loving husband, Allen Larue Bardo, her parents, his parents, her best friend Barbara Brandon, 5 nephews, her IDKDY friends, and her circle of German friends.
Laura is survived by her daughter Joyce Marlene (Joy) Bardo and Joy’s “daughter” Kimberly (Kim) Tarver; her son Robert Allen (Bob) Bardo and his wife Sarah Vaughan; her grandson Robert Allen Bardo II and wife Shelby and their children Emory, Cameron Lore, and Taylor; her granddaughter Elisabeth Ann Bardo Massad and her husband Kelly and their children Ava, Gianna, and Madison; her 2 step-grandchildren Savannah Hughes and significant other Demien Kurejwowski and Tara Hughes Stewart and husband Adam; 10 nieces and nephews; close friends Leslie Parks Douglas, Rosemarie Schmidt, and Sherry Stevens: and godsons Neil & Brent Parks.
Thank you to Beverly McKiver, Rosemarie Schmidt, Sharon Bricker, and Leslie Parks Douglas, and Melony Cartwright for their daily phone calls to Mom during her medical issues. Thank you too, to the nurses (especially Paige and Kayla) at the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at Medical City Fort Worth for caring so gently for Mom during her last 2 days.
Services, all at St. Andrew Lutheran Church at 504 W. Bedford-Euless Road at Hurstview Drive in Hurst, Texas --
Family / friends visitation at 11:00 am on Friday, December 8, 2023.
Celebration of Life service at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Willard McKiver, Jr.


Repast meal after the service.
Burial next to her husband follows at Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery in Colleyville, Texas.
Pallbearers will be Robert Allen Bardo II, Kelly Massad, Neil Parks, Brent Parks, Brian McDaniel, and Timothy Petrushka (scholarship recipient).