Mary Lou was born February 12, 1939 to Fred & Audrey Skrine. She was the oldest of their three children and the only girl. She grew up in the Whitefield district and took her schooling there until the school closed and she went to school in Deleau. That was where she met her husband Alex Hardy.
Alex & Mary Lou were married May 4, 1957 and raised a family of four children. Those years were spent helping on the farm, canning, baking and keeping house. When the children were