Larry Raymond Harding

Larry Raymond Harding was born December 9, 1941 in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa to William Eugene (Gene) Harding and Jewel Regina Harding. He spent most of his childhood and youth in Kirksville, Missouri and graduated from Kirksville Sr. High School in 1959 where he played football and was a member of the marching band, playing clarinet.

Larry enjoyed coaching little league baseball and football and always had winning teams. He liked to fish, hunt, and occasionally drag race. He loved cars and always kept his vehicles waxed to the max.

In Kirksville, Larry worked for the Mo. Highway Patrol as a Driver’s License Examiner for 8 years. His first marriage was to Sherre Smith and to this union two children were born: Julia Dawn and Jonathan Earl.

Larry was active in the Kirksville Church of the Nazarene where he sang solos, led the choir and youth activities. He met his future wife, Teresia Wheeler when they were chaperones on a summer teen trip to Colorado and they married the following April. To this marriage of 52 years, daughter Heather Katrinia was born.

Larry and family moved to Merriam, Kansas in 1974 and for many years, he and Teresia managed Antioch Gardens Apartments. He was active in the Nall Avenue Church of the Nazarene and participated in many musical productions and helped with flowers and landscaping.

In 2007 Larry and Teresia moved to Columbia Missouri where they managed Jenne Hill Townhomes until Larry retired. He was an active member of Columbia First Nazarene and was responsible for years of beautiful flowers around the church. He also loved to sing and had a beautiful tenor voice which he used for the glory of God. He also enjoyed working with the children in VBS and other activities.

Larry had a “green thumb” and his flowers at home and church were always spectacular. He also loved watching sports and his favorite teams were the KC Chiefs and Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team.

Larry was man of deep faith and loved telling his stories to everyone he met. He told about how God had saved him five years ago when he had his first heart attack, how he first gave his heart to Jesus and shortly after met Teresia, the love of his life.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents and daughter Julia Humphries (Paul). He is survived by his son Jon Harding (Betsy) of Columbia Missouri, daughter Heather Barclay (Johnny) of Abilene, Kansas and two grandchildren Jack Harding and Joe Harding of Columbia.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, November 2nd at 11:00 a.m. at Columbia First Nazarene, 2601 Blue Ridge Road, Columbia, MO 65203.