Raymond Joseph Tardo was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sept. 21, 1936, and passed away Aug. 3, 2019, at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, at the age of 82.

A service of remembrance will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, from the Leesburg Baptist Church with the Rev. Jon Marc Vanlandingham officiating under the direction of Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Morton.

Visitation will begin one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday.

Mr. Tardo was a longtime resident of this area who enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, doing yard work and cooking. He was a retired employee of Climate Masters, where he was an installer and parts delivery man. Mr. Tardo will be remembered for his service as the longtime fire chief for the Brookhaven Fire Department. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Brookhaven and currently attended Leesburg Baptist Church. He loved his family and will be missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is preceded in death by one daughter: Cheryl Smith; one great-grandson: Connor Rhinewalt; his parents: Nicholo and Matilda All Tardo; one sister: Shirley Tardo and two brothers: Nick Tardo and Donald Tardo.

Survivors include his wife: Sandra Tardo; two daughters: Raynell Tardo Ainsworth of Pearl, Mississippi, and Vicki (Brett) Hart of Brandon, Mississippi; two sons: Rickie (Gwen) Tardo of Brookhaven, Mississippi, and Chris (Connie) Tardo of Madison, Mississippi; two stepchildren: Kim (Gray) Bennett of Brandon, Mississippi, and Philip Owen of Morton; nine grandchildren: Heather (Malcolm) Rhinewalt, Jason Bustamento, Tiffany (Drew) Craft, Colby Cunningham, Jessica Cunningham, Candice (Billy) Sumrall, Devin Renee Tardo, Natalie Tardo and Nathan Tardo; two stepgrandchildren: Emily Loe and Bryson Loe; 13 great-grandchildren: Madilyn, Joshua, Landree, Bryce, Haven, Kane, Rayne, Madison, Justin, Martha Rose, Kaylee, Gunner and Konnor ; several nieces and nephews; and a host of  other family and friends.   

Ott & Lee Funeral Home, 3555 Hwy. 80, Morton, Mississippi, served the Tardo family.