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Hardy was born in [[Lafayette]] to  Florent Hardy, Sr. (1913–2003), and the former Agnes Angelle (1904–2008), a [[Roman Catholic]] couple from the census-designated place of Cecilia in St. Martin Parish. His mother was a homemaker, teacher, and school principal who was visited on the job by former state education superintendents [[T. H. Harris]] and [[Shelby M. Jackson]]. Agnes's brother, [[Robert Angelle]], the maternal uncle of Paul Hardy,<ref name=agneshardy>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405115040/http://www.avoyellestoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Agnes+Angelle+Hardy%20&id=8635494|title=Agnes Hardy obituary|publisher=Avoyellestoday.com|date=April 2008|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1934 to 1964 and the House [[Speaker]] from 1957 to 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-24 (ST. Martin Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>​

Hardy was born in [[Lafayette]] to  Florent Hardy, Sr. (1913–2003), and the former Agnes Angelle (1904–2008), a [[Roman Catholic]] couple from the census-designated place of Cecilia in St. Martin Parish. His mother was a homemaker, teacher, and school principal who was visited on the job by former state education superintendents [[T. H. Harris]] and [[Shelby M. Jackson]]. Agnes's brother, [[Robert Angelle]], the maternal uncle of Paul Hardy,<ref name=agneshardy>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405115040/http://www.avoyellestoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Agnes+Angelle+Hardy%20&id=8635494|title=Agnes Hardy obituary|publisher=Avoyellestoday.com|date=April 2008|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1934 to 1964 and the House [[Speaker]] from 1957 to 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-24 (ST. Martin Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>​

Agnes' father, and hence Paul Hardy's maternal grandfather, [[Drauzin Angelle]], was a constable, deputy sheriff, and a Democratic power broker in St. Martin Parish during much of the first half of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-a/|title=Angelle, Drauvin|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'': Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> Paul Hardy has a sister, Mary Agnes Belleau and her husband, Dr. Charles Dewey Belleau, of Baton Rouge, and a brother, Florent Hardy, Jr., [[Ph.D.]], and long-time employee of the Louisiana State Archives,<ref name=agneshardy/> who was honored in 2014 as "Public Official of the Year" by the Louisiana Association of Museums.​

Agnes' father and Paul Hardy's maternal grandfather, [[Drauzin Angelle]], was a constable, deputy sheriff, and a Democratic power broker in St. Martin Parish during much of the first half of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-a/|title=Angelle, Drauvin|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'': Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref> Paul Hardy has a sister, Mary Agnes Belleau and her husband, Dr. Charles Dewey Belleau, of Baton Rouge, and a brother, Florent Hardy, Jr., [[Ph.D.]], and long-time employee of the Louisiana State Archives,<ref name=agneshardy/> who was honored in 2014 as "Public Official of the Year" by the Louisiana Association of Museums.​

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Hardy was graduated in 1960 from Cecilia High School. In 1965, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then the University of Southwestern Louisiana, from which his mother had also graduated. ​<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Paul Hardy", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007-2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 660.</ref> While Hardy was a member of the USL track team, he won the Gulf States Conference high jump competition for two consecutive years. He was named in 2010 to the ULL Ragin' Cajuns Hall of Fame.<ref name=athlete>{{cite web|url=https://www.athleticnetwork.net/site.php?pageID=54&profID=1442|title=Paul Jude Hardy|publisher= Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns Athletic Network|date=June 21, 2010|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>

Hardy was graduated in 1960 from Cecilia High School. In 1965, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then the University of Southwestern Louisiana, from which his mother had also graduated. ​<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Paul Hardy", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007-2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 660.</ref> While Hardy was a member of the USL track team, he won the Gulf States Conference high jump competition for two consecutive years. He was named in 2010 to the ULL Ragin' Cajuns Hall of Fame.<ref name=athlete>{{cite web|url=https://www.athleticnetwork.net/site.php?pageID=54&profID=1442|title=Paul Jude Hardy|publisher= Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Network|date=June 21, 2010|accessdate=May 20, 2020}}</ref>

In 1966, Hardy received his law degree from the Roman Catholic Loyola University College of Law  in [[New Orleans]], and at the age of twenty-three, he began practicing law in St. Martinville with the firm Willis and Hardy.​<ref name=whoswho/> He is a member of the Catholic men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]].<ref name=athlete/>

In 1966, Hardy received his law degree from the Roman Catholic Loyola University College of Law  in [[New Orleans]], and at the age of twenty-three, he began practicing law in St. Martinville with the firm Willis and Hardy.​<ref name=whoswho/> He is a member of the Catholic men's organization, the [[Knights of Columbus]].<ref name=athlete/>