WINTER HAVEN - Harold E. Harding, 84, of Winter Haven, FL died Saturday, September 12, 2009 at Winter Haven Hospital due to heart failure. 

Born October 10, 1924 to Frank and Ruby Farmer Harding in St. Albans, ME, he was a former resident of Dexter, ME and North Smithfield, RI before moving to Winter Haven in 1983.  He grew up on a farm and served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during WWII.  He spent most of his military life in the Pacific as a communications specialist.  Harold, a retired Industrial Electrician, worked at Fayscott Landis Corp in Dexter, ME; Snowflake Canning Company in Corinna, ME; Guilford Industries in Guilford, ME; and Mister Christmas in Douglas, MA.  

He lived with his wife Polly in Dexter, ME, North Smithfield, RI and Winter Haven, FL. Over the years he enjoyed playing cards, golfing, working with stained glass, traveling, and fishing. He was noted for his amazing memory for poetry & stories, for his skills at assessing how mechanical equipment worked and for his ability to fix or redesign them as needed. In later years he enjoyed playing with his computer and was amazingly proficiency at solving problems by simply thinking of the computer as another machine. 

His wife of 63 years, Polly (Pauline Davis Harding), lives in Winter Haven, FL and his son Bill (William Robert Harding) lives in San Miguel de Allende (Mexico).  He is also survived by one sister, Althea Knowles who lives in Presque Isle, ME, and  one brother, Floyd Harding of Stetson, ME. His brother Lionel who lived in Lincoln, ME and sister Kay who lived in and around Kittery, ME predeceased him. 

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date for the inurnment of his remains at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.  In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to the Harold Harding Memorial Scholarship fund, established by his son Bill under the auspices of Jóvenes Adelante (a US & Mexican organization providing University scholarships, for further information see www.jovenesadelante.org). Tax deductible checks can be sent to Jóvenes Adelante, 220 N Zapata Hwy #11, Laredo TX 78043. Condolences may be sent to www.oakridgefuneralcare.com.