Barbara Delano Harding

Died Wednesday, August 29, 2007 having battled lung cancer since last October. She was the wife of Richard R. Harding. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on November 15th. Barbara (Del) was born in Boston on August 24, 1923. Her parents died at her early age, so she lived with her grandparents in Point-of-Pines, Revere until about 12 years of age when she moved to Belmont to live with her mother's sister, Mrs. E. Bailey (Helen) Frye. In Belmont, Del immediately met her young neighbor, Janice Brett Mead who became her longest and dearest friend. Del attended Belmont Schools, Brimmer-May School and Colby Jr. College. She was an outdoor person tending her garden at the Hill Street house and actively participating in Lexington Garden Club and Wednesday Workshop activities. She taught sailing at summer camp and water skied at the Vineyard, snow skied in the U.S. and Europe, and was Handicap Golf Champion one year at the Lexington Golf Club. She loved to tell a good joke and reacted on hearing one with no restraint. She is survived by her husband Richard, her son and wife, Richard & Deb Harding of Lowell, daughter and husband, Peter & Janice Cronstrom of Dunstable, son and wife James & Andrea Harding of Lexington; grandchildren Richard (wife Tracey) Harding of Westford, Christine (husband John) McManus of Nashua, NH, Kelley and Mathew Harding of Lexington; step-grandchildren Jeff (wife Manjola) Cronstrom of Pepperell, Kristen (husband Tri) Le of Flemington, NJ; and great-grandchildren Shane McManus and Kimberly Harding and step great-grandchildren Abriana Cronstrom and Tuyet-Mai Le; her cousin Charlotte Frye of Orleans and sister-in-law Barbara Kakas and niece Sallyann Kakas Quebec and family. Del will be buried in the family cemetery plot on Martha's Vineyard in a private ceremony. Donations in her memory may be sent to Hospice Visiting Nurse, 607 North Ave., Suite 17, Wakefield, MA 01880.