Vernon Joseph "Bud" Harding

Vernon “Bud” Joseph Harding of Kennedyville, MD, died on Wednesday, July 15, 2015, at Seasons Hospice at Christiana Hospital. He was 81. Born on December 26, 1933, in Baltimore, MD, he was the son of the late Leo Vernon and Ella Romaine Rigney Harding. Mr. Harding graduated from Baltimore Poly Technic Institute in 1954. He married Barbara Lee Dickerson on January 19, 1957. He worked at Arcadia Manufacturing as well as several other jobs earlier in life. In 1963, he and his family moved to the Eastern Shore, where he worked with Buck Dickerson Painting and many other jobs. In 1979, he worked as a caretaker at Broad Reach in Quaker Neck and retired in 2009. On July 3, 1982, he married Joan Elizabeth McHenry. Mr. Harding was a member of the Kennedyville United Methodist Church, holding the office of trustee and where he was an usher for many years. He was also a charter member of the Chestertown Elks Lodge #2474 as well as the Bay Country Moose Lodge in Grasonville. He coached women’s and girls’ softball and also coached Church League Basketball. He enjoyed working on the water – fishing, oystering, crabbing, and hunting guide. His model train garden and goldfish pond were his greatest loves which brought joy to his family and the many that came to view them. Mr. Harding introduced his family to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and its many attractions, where some of the family continue to vacation. In addition to his wife, Joan Harding, he is survived by two daughters, Cindy King and her husband Rick, and Donna Simmons and her husband Andy; two stepchildren, Danny McHenry and his wife Mary, and Julie DelCiotto and her husband Joe; a sister, Barbara Kaiser and her husband Bill; eight grandchildren Nathan Simmons, Danielle Simmons, Jared Legg, Cory Legg and wife Amanda, Ryan Legg, Megan McHenry Smith and husband Holden, Mallory McHenry and Cassi DelCiotto; several great grandchildren; and a nephew, Tommy Kaiser and wife Cindy and their son Jacob. He was predeceased by a stepdaughter, Kem Legg in 2006. A visitation will be held on Friday, July 17, 2015, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, Chestertown, MD, where an Elks Ceremony will be held at 8:00 p.m. Services will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at Kennedyville United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Galena Cemetery, following the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Memorial Building Fund at Kennedyville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 32, Kennedyville, MD 21645.

Vernon Joseph "Bud" Harding

December 26, 1933 - July 15, 2015