Richard Harding

May 27,1923 - May 21, 2015
Richard S. Harding, 91, a longtime resident of Silverado Country Club in Napa, CA., died May 21, 2015 at home with family by his side. Born May 27, 1923 in San Antonio, Texas to Robert and Louise Harding, Richard was an avid horseman who jumped, played polo and wrangled cattle at family ranches in his youth.

He served his country proudly in WWII and in Korea. In 1950 he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Texas.

Perhaps his proudest accomplishment was the establishment in 1959 of the civil engineering and consulting firm, Harding Associates, later known as Harding/Lawson Associates, which provided comprehensive infrastructure, construction and environmental engineering services. The firm "went public" in 1987 as Harding Lawson Associates Group Inc. and five years later the firm was bought by Mactec, Inc.

Richard loved nature and the outdoors. He enjoyed golf, jogging and hiking. In his youth, and recently, Richard enjoyed trips to Mexico and speaking Spanish - what he called "that beautiful language." He also served on the Marin County Human Rights Commission and as President of the Silverado Country Club Board of Directors.

Richard lived a life that reflected his reverence for God, honesty, the value of clear communication, and doing the "right thing" no matter how hard. He infused those values into the hearts and minds of his children, for which they will be forever grateful.

He was predeceased by his wife of 35 years Louise Lygren Harding and by Victoria Banning Harding who was the mother of his four children. He is survived by his beloved Barbara Ferrer of Napa; four children, Robert Harding, Grier Harding, Richard Harding Jr., and Karen Harding; stepchildren, Amy Shine and Scott Lygren; and foster daughter Susan Peterson. He was blessed with seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and a great great grandchild born this year.

A service to honor his life will be held on June 13, 2015 at 3p.m. in the Tulocay Chapel in Napa. Memories and words of sympathy may be shared with the family on-line at www.tulocaycemetery.org.