Charles P. Harding

Charles P. Harding, 88, of Morganton died Saturday, March 29, 2014. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on February 28, 1926 and was the son of the late Charles George Harding and Marie Julia Lillick Harding. Mr. Harding was a U. S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He trained for a year in radio operations in Puerto Rico and worked briefly for Pan American Airlines. Charles was employed for over 34 years as an engineer with AT&T; beginning in Pittsburgh, PA, moving to Washington, DC, and later in Bedminster, NJ before retiring on January 1, 1984. Charles was very active with AT&T;’s Junior Achievement program and was an avid ham radio operator.Surviving are his wife of 23 years, Dorothy Ragan Harding, of the home; daughters, Debbie Harding Marazzo and husband, Anthony, of Clearwater, FL and Pattie Harding Mehall of Concord, NC; step-children, Veronica Jo Willson and husband, Raymond, of Bloomsbury, NJ, Dominic Turdo and wife, Linda, of Upper Black Edy, PA, and Alan Turdo and wife, Jody, of Phillipsburg, NJ; grandchildren, Diana, Stephanie, and Jessica Marazzo, Jared Monti and wife, Harleigh, and Marisa and Scott Mehall; step-grandchildren, Keith, Danielle, and Jason Turdo; great-granddaughter, Carmela Monti; and brothers, Wallace Harding of Scranton, PA and Richard Harding and wife, Patricia, of Little River, SC. Charles also leaves his faithful canine companion, Pooch.The funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at Calvary Lutheran Church with Rev. Michael Riley officiating. Entombment will follow at Burke Memorial Park Mausoleum with military honors conducted by the NC National Guard and Caldwell County Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 3:00 until 4:00 p.m. Tuesday at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Burke County Friends for Animals, PO Box 1884, Morganton, NC 28680 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center has the honor of serving the Harding family.