Robert James Harding

Robert James Harding

1929 – 2017

Robert James Harding (also known as R J or Bob) was born in Haxtun, Colorado on June 8, 1929 to Robert Thomas and Mary Ruth (Josh) Harding. He passed away on June 19, 2017 at the age of 88 at Grace Manor.

Bob attended country school at Buffalo Grass until his Dad needed help on the farm, and he had to quit school to help out.  He helped his Dad on the farm until he was drafted into the Army.  In later years, he did get his GED. 

PFC Robert J. Harding, was inducted into the United States Army March 1, 1951. He was transferred to the Army Reserve March 1st, 1953, and was honorable discharged from the Army on October 20th, 1956.

On June 5, 1952, Bob married Nellie Hughes in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Bob and Nellie were blessed with nearly sixty-one years of marriage, and four children, Linda, Glenda, Sandra and Robert Dale. Bob and Nellie made their first home in Manitou Springs, Colorado near Fort Carson. 

 After leaving Colorado Springs in 1953, Bob tried his hand at farming, and rented a piece of ground 3 or 4 miles from his parent’s home in Yuma County, Colorado. The next move was to a farm northeast of Eckley, Colorado that was rented from Charles Shively.  In 1959, he went to work for the J.C. Ricker Farm and lived in the little house on his place.  In 1963, he went to work for Gene Warner, and moved to a place 5 miles southwest of Bob’s parents. In 1966, he went back to work for Ricker Farms, and moved to a place North of Holyoke, Colorado. He worked at the Sugar Beet Factory in Ovid, Colorado for a short period. In 1972, they moved to Holyoke and Bob continued to work for the Ricker Farms until 1979, when Bob took a job as a yard and maintenance man for the Holyoke High School. A year later he started with the City of Holyoke as a police officer. In 1981 he was transferred to the City Of Holyoke’s Parks Department where he worked for twenty years and retired in 2001 at the age of 72.  He loved his job with the Parks Department, and would even get up in the middle of the night to check on the sprinklers.  Bob was always a very conscientious worker, and always went the extra mile to make sure he got the job done right.

After Bob retired, he continued to work hard.  His pride and joy was his yard and garden. Bob always worked hard to take good care of his family, and always exhibited a strong belief in the God.  He provided many vegetables for the family dining room table.  He also helped Nellie can and freeze a lot of the vegetables as well as making jelly to be eaten all year long.  Bob even took some of his vegetables to the Haxtun Corn Harvest Festival, and brought home many ribbons.  He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene for many years and very active in the Church. 

In Nellie’s later years, Bob did a lot to help out.  He was her grocery shopper, the bill payer, the house cleaner. He helped with the laundry, ran her to the doctor and was right by her side until the end of her life.  Bob’s true love and dedication of being a husband to Nellie was truly shown.  Bob took a bad spill and broke his neck shortly before Nellie passed away.  At this point he could not be alone, so he moved to Burlington, Colorado with LaVoine and Glenda.  He spent some time with Juan and Sandra on a couple of different occasions in Grand Island, Nebraska.  Mostly he lived with LaVoine and Glenda for a year and then he moved into the Legacy, Assisted Living Facility, until he fell again.  He then needed therapy, so he moved to Grace Manor Nursing Home where he spent the rest of his life. 

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Nellie (Hughes) Harding, his parents, Robert and Mary Harding, two brothers, Donald Harding and Harold Harding, two sisters, Evelyn Forbes and Katherine Hinde and just recently his brother-in-law, John Stoner.

Bob is survived by his children, Linda Daggett and husband, Bob from Scottsbluff, Nebraska; Glenda Smith and husband, LaVoine from Burlington, Colorado; Sandra Bazan and husband Juan from Venango, Nebraska, and Robert Dale Harding and wife Naomi  from Wray, Colorado; sister-in-law, Laura Harding,  brother, Carroll Harding and wife Ardyce from Mebane, North Carolina; sister, Joyce Stoner from Antelope, California; brother, Larry Harding and wife Mary from Fort Morgan, Colorado; and Vernon Harding and wife Marion from Yuma, Colorado; Grandchildren, Kirk Tyndal from Kansas City, Missouri, Dana Pickings and husband Kevin from Camden, Arkansas; Anita Perez and husband Ignacio from Venango, Nebraska; Richard Bazan and wife Andrea from Laramie, Wyoming; Gabriel Bazan and wife Emily from Ogallala, Nebraska; Juan Bazan Jr and wife Bekah from Grand Island, Nebraska; and Julie Russell from Venango, Nebraska; Shamariah Harding from Holyoke, Colorado and Nathanael Harding from Wray, Colorado; Great Grandchildren, Tiesha Pickings from Camden, Arkansas; Valerie Perez, Anselmo Perez, and Sophia Perez from Venango, Nebraska; Owen Bazan and Cora Bazan from Laramie, Wyoming; Dylan Bazan and Tyson Bazan from Ogallala, Nebraska; and Nelli Bazan from Grand Island, Nebraska; and Judah Harding from Holyoke, Colorado. 

Visitation was held on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Baucke Funeral Home in Holyoke, Colorado.  The funeral service was held on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at the Holyoke Assembly of God Church in Holyoke, Colorado.  Interment will follow at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Yuma, Colorado.  Baucke Funeral Home of Holyoke directed the service.