Charles Harding Sr.

Arrangements under the direction of HardagCharles (A.C.) Harding was born November 19, 1919 in Blacksburg, South Carolina. He was the 7th born of ten children to the late David William and Dora Harding. As years progressed the family relocated to Kannapolis, North Carolina where Charles was raised and attended school at Kannapolis Carver High.

In 1933 at the age of 18, Charles met Ximinea Flowe who was 14 at a church cookout in Charlotte, NC.

At the age of 24 Charles was drafted by the U.S. Army on January 29, 1943 at the time the country was in WWII – he served overseas; North Africa and the South Pacific invading countries as Italy, France and Germany. He received several medals; Asiatic-Pacific Service, Fame Service, Good Conduct and WWII Victory Medal that orchestrated a honorable discharge on January 1, 1946 earning the rank of T5 (Technician Corporal).

Immediately after his military discharge on the 17th of January, 1946 Charles and Ximinea were married and they resided in Plainfield, NJ. out of this union came; Betty, Mildred and Charles, Jr.

Upon the demise of Ximinea on July 31, 1954, Charles met Carrie E. Frazier on January 1, 1955. On April 27, 1956, they were married and out of this union came; Bertha, David and Devora. Charles and Carrie had been married for 60 years (April 27, 2016) and raised six children.

Charles is a former member that was ordained as a Deacon on May 18, 1969 at the St. Luke Baptist Church, New York City, New York under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Walter L. Harding, pastor that is presently pastured by Rev. Dr. J. McCann.

In 1975, on the first Sunday in March, Deacon Harding joined the Grace Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York under the leadership of Pastor, Rev. Jacob N. Underwood, Sr. and was accepted as a Deacon, where he served on several ministries; Deacon Board, Men’s Guild; Pastor’s Aide and was assigned as Deacon to various choirs.

Deacon Harding retired from Conrail Railroad after 39 ½ years of service in June of 1981. Then in 1982 he was a part of the Grace Christian Educational Center staff as the handy-man for twenty-two or more years where he served until he retired.

On March 22, 2011 Deacon & Sister Harding along with their daughter Devora relocated to Jacksonville, Fl. He attended the Kernan Blvd. Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor, Rev. William Crook as well as, Union Progressive Mission Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor, Rev. Jeffrey Keith Francis.

Deacon Harding was still a faithful member of Grace Baptist church and sent his tithes and offering faithfully monthly, until his passing.

He was a believer and a very, very prayerful man.

He leaves cherished memories of his life to his wife; Carrie, children; Betty and son-in-law; William Wells, Mildred Gaines, Charles, Jr. and daughter-in-law; Deborah Harding, Bertha Harding, David and daughter-in-law; Connie Swindell-Harding and Devora Harding, 13 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 1 great, great grandchild . A host of nephews, nieces, great and great great, cousins and a close friend of the family Tyrone Pettiford, Grace Baptist Church family and a host of special friends…

e-Giddens Chapel Hills Funeral Home, Jacksonville, FL.