David Earl Harding passed away on Sunday, October 2, 2022, after battling prostate cancer.
David was born in Isabel, Kansas to Earl Everett Harding and Margaret
(Thompson) Harding on September 4, 1940. He grew up working on the
family farm, hunting and fishing, participating in Scouts, and playing
sports. He graduated from Isabel High School in 1958 and attended Pratt
Junior College in Pratt, Kansas, on a basketball scholarship, continuing
his education at Kansas State University and Fort Hays State while
working to put himself through school.
David was recruited to
the Kansas Highway Patrol in 1962 as one of the youngest troopers ever
hired in the state. His patrol territories included Hutchison, Russell,
and Hays, where his specialties were nabbing DUIs, car chases, and
recovering stolen vehicles. David was introduced to Doris A. Jorns on a
blind date in 1963 and they married later that year in August, 1963. A
son, Reece, was born in 1966, David’s own “Little Trooper” who
eventually grew up to serve on the Wichita city police force.
David began a more than 30-year career with Farmers Insurance Group
(FIG) in 1968 as a Claims Adjuster in Wichita, Kansas. While living in
Wichita, a daughter, Ann Marie, was born in 1971. Much like her father,
she was in a hurry to arrive, and they almost didn’t make it to the
hospital in time. In 1976, David accepted a promotion from FIG and moved
the family to Denver, Colorado, and soon thereafter to Colorado
Springs, Colorado, where he worked as a Regional Budget Manager. In
1984, he was promoted to Branch Claims Manager in the Moore, Oklahoma
FIG office. While in Moore, he also served as the FIG Liability Manager
for the state of Oklahoma, tasked with managing a $500 million budget
and supervising a team of over 100 employees. David retired from Farmers
Insurance Group in 2003.
In retirement, David enjoyed working
on old cars, especially his 1949 Ford, taking care of his lawn and
garden, eating out and grilling at home, watching football games,
fishing, traveling to see his grandchildren- of whom he was always very
proud! - and spending time with family and friends.
David is
preceded in death by his parents Earl and Margaret. He is survived by
his wife of 59 years, Doris, his son Reece Harding, daughter Ann Ashmon,
son-in-law Scott Ashmon, grandchildren Gunnar and Elsa Ashmon, and his
siblings Evelyn (Jack) Jessup, Shirley (Joe) Wood, Vicki (Dennis) Chinn,
and Vernon (Mary Lou) Harding, as well as several nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. -
8:00 p.m. with family receiving friends from 6-8 at Larrison Mortuary,
300 Country Club Road, Pratt. A Celebration of Life will be held at
10:30 a.m., Friday, October 7, 2022, at St. Paul Lutheran Church,
Natrona. Burial will follow at Turon Cemetery, Turon.
Memorials may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Foundation in care of Larrison Mortuary.