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Don L. Harding

1937 - 2021

BORN

1937

DIED

2021

FUNERAL HOME

Sims Funeral Home - Soda Springs

139 East 2nd South

Soda Springs, Idaho

Don Harding Obituary

Don Lewis Harding passed away peacefully on November 17th at the age of 84 surrounded by his family.

Don was born on September 13, 1937 into a loving home in St. Anthony Idaho to farmer and educator Ralph William ("Coach") and homemaker Kathryn Olson Harding. He loved and adored his siblings while growing up in Malad Idaho. His parents raised the family with an emphasis on hard work and integrity. Despite being raised by a strict father, Don and his brother were extremely mischievous.

After graduating high school in 1955, he played football at BYU his freshman year and then later transferred to Snow college to play football and box. He loved to box in college and was a regional boxing champion in his weight class at Snow College. He briefly served in the Army before being called on a full-time LDS mission to England and Scotland in the British Mission on January 29, 1958. On November 7, 1959 he was called to become a travelling missionary.

Returning from his mission, he worked as a Capitol Hill police officer and elevator operator while attending George Washington University. He graduated with a degree in accounting from George Washington and then pursued his law degree while working full time as a certified public accountant for Ernst and Whinney and later a private practice. During this time, he met his sweetheart Janet Louise Riggle. He loved her so much that they decided to get married three times, First, in a civil ceremony in Virginia on September 12, 1964 and then in a church ceremony in Washington DC later that day. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the LDS Salt Lake City Temple.

After graduating from law school, he moved his family to Salt Lake City and worked as Trust Officer at Tracy-Collins Bank and Trust. After two years, the family moved back to Malad, Idaho to be closer to his mother where he practiced law and provided services as a certified public accountant. His family later settled in Soda Springs, Idaho where he raised his family for the next 40 years. While in Soda Springs he served as a Magistrate Judge in 1977 for six years before returning to private practice. He continued to practice law until he was appointed as the Judge for the 6th Judicial District in 1993 and was elected to continue to serve over the 6th Judicial District before retiring as a Sr. Judge for the State of Idaho in 2008. As District Judge, he traveled and ruled over Franklin County, Bear Lake County, Oneida County, Bannock County and Caribou County. Don loved the law and was instrumental in establishing drug court in the 6th Judicial District.

In Soda Springs, Don was on the sideline of his children's sporting events very likely yelling at the referees. He loved watching his children compete in sports and was proud of all of their accomplishments. In the summer-time, you could often find him fishing in Eight-Mile or golfing at the Oregon Trail Golf Course. He woke early and instilled a hard work ethic in all of his children.

He loved His Savior Jesus Christ. He was blessed with many opportunities to serve the Lord in various positions including a counselor in the Bishopric, Bishop, High Counselor, and nursery leader. In 2009, Don and Janet served as missionaries in Warsaw, Poland.

Don enjoyed performing numerous marriage ceremonies as both a Bishop and Judge. He loved seeing a family united through marriage.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Kathryn Harding; his siblings and in-laws, Ralph and Willa Harding, Joyce Freidenberger, Nadine and Gaylen Cox, Alice and Owen Miller, Bob and Kathleen Harding and Monica Harding. He is survived by his wife, Janet Riggle Harding, his children, Suzanne (Dirk) Jeffs, Don Harding (Julie Bright), Steve Harding, Katie (Scott) Muir, Jennifer Harding (Uli Stengele), Joseph Harding, Michael (Christina) Harding, Hayley (Jeff) Lowry and Cody (Meagan) Harding, twenty-seven grandchildren and 2 and 9/10 great-grandchildren, his brother, Tom (Norma) Harding and sister-in-law, Jacque Harding and brother-in-law Frank (Judy) Riggle.

Services will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021 at Noon at the Soda Springs Hooper LDS Chapel (281 East Hooper Ave.). Family will visit with friends on Monday morning from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Church prior to the service. Burial will be in the Malad City Cemetery at 3 p.m. with Military Honors.

In lieu of sending flowers, please make a donation in his name to the Huntsman Cancer Institute or the Alzheimer's Association.

Condolences and memories of Don can be shared online with the family by visiting www.simsfh.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Preston Citizen from Nov. 19 to Nov. 20, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
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Sponsored by Sims Funeral Home - Soda Springs.

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1 Entry

Greg Summers

November 26, 2021

Judge Harding,was my baseball in the late 70's.I stumbled onto his team by per accident.I went down to the city Park with Tracy Vorwaller and ran into other kids from our block. He and Judge Rasmussen coached me for three years. They took a foul mouthed kid with a ton of excess energy and made me feel welcome as part of the team, and helped me channel that energy to a good cause.I look back with love and fondness, best time of my youth. Thanks

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Memorial Events
for Don Harding

Nov

22

Visitation

10:00 a.m.

Soda Springs Hooper LDS Chapel

ID

Nov

22

Service

12:00 p.m.

Soda Springs Hooper LDS Chapel

281 East Hooper Ave., ID

Nov

22

Burial

3:00 p.m.

Malad City Cemetery

ID

Funeral services provided by:

Sims Funeral Home - Soda Springs

139 East 2nd South, Soda Springs, ID 83276

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