James Lee Hardiman II of Huntington, WV, passed away on Saturday September 19, 2026 at the age of 65. Jim (or Jimmy, or Big Jim, or Little Jim) as he was known by family and friends was born on August 22, 1961, in Huntington, WV, the first son of James Lee and Ruth Ann Hardiman.
Jim was a contractor by trade, an entrepreneur at heart, a musician, an avid collector, and a great storyteller. Each time he told a story, it got better and better. Jim was the owner at Hardiman Contracting, where he regularly worked on projects with his brothers Steve and John, and more recently his nephew Gabe. He was the former Owner/Operator at Vinyl-Tech Renovations and a former sales rep at Season Sash Windows and Doors.
A 1979 graduate of Barboursville High School, he was a laborer, carpenter, welder apprentice, and boom truck operator at Turman Construction/Barboursville Bridge Company before owning his company. He studied steel fabrication and electric arc welding, MIG welding, Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) at Johnson Technical Institution.
Jim was preceded in death by his father, James Lee Hardiman, his brother, Steven Ray Hardiman, and his niece, Mallory Faye Hardiman. He is survived by his mother, Ruth Hardiman of Prichard, WV; his siblings, John (Mary) Hardiman of Prichard, WV, Tom (Lesley) Hardiman of Lewisburg, WV, and Cyndi (Tracey) Keith of Huntington.
He is also survived by several nephews and nieces including Andrew Hardiman, Gabriel Hardiman, Carrie Hardiman, Mariah DeMoss, Megan Keith, Sarah Keith, Grace Hardiman, and Qayden Keith, as well as several great nieces and nephews.
The family would like to acknowledge the staff at Heritage Center Nursing Home in Huntington for their kindness and compassion and for helping to make Jim as comfortable as possible.
A small private celebration of Jim’s life is being planned by the family.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.
