Geez Nan, sorry to hear about your dad. Though this isn't a recipe for hard
candy, it seems like it would work with any sort of liquer:

http://cocktails.about.com/library/r...ttobonbons.htm

Excruciatingly hot sugar syrup scares me so I don't do much in the way of hard
candy ;-). I think I'd probably sneak in a thermos or drench a tea bread in
his alcohol of choice...I'd imagine if you were making hard candies, the
alcohol would evaporate off...I'd probably need a drink too if I broke my hip!