Dear Marion,
As I thought about Bill after hearing the sad news it occurred to me that he was my oldest friend that I was still in touch with. I will miss him. As you know our friendship started at Radio Receptor in Brooklyn before Bill moved on to IBM. It is comforting, in thinking about Bill and you, that all my memories are so positive and filled with thoughts of all the wonderful times we spent together. Times punctuated by laughter, good food, good drinks and a marvelous and unforgetable friendship.
Rabab joins me in sending our love and sympathy to you and all of your family.

Bob Ashley

Hello Harding clan.  I wanted to share some thoughts with you all about Grandpa since I couldn't be there in person.   


Grandpa was such a character.  I have so many fond memories of him that it's hard to know where to start.  Probably the first to come to mind was when I was about 7 years old and Nana and Grandpa were visiting us in Charlottesville.  We had a huge basement, and we kept the computer in a small room off to the side of the playroom.  Under the guise of "fixing" the family computer, Grandpa had managed to lure me in: a quick "let me show you something" and before you know it, he was explaining about 200 different MS-DOS commands to me, one by one, as if I might later just happen to put them to use.  I do believe the "improvements" we made to the computer might only have been in his eyes, but it would be my first taste of what it meant to "help" Grandpa.


Shortly thereafter, Nana and Grandpa moved out to Carlsbad, and invited Julie and I out for the first of many trips to California.  I think we were about 7 and 8, respectively, and boy, did we think we hit the jackpot when we came out here.  Their house had so many nooks and crannies to explore, and on top of movies every day and root beer floats every night, they took us to every major theme park in San Diego county.  To us, coming to see Nana and Grandpa was pure paradise (even if it involved a waffle-cutting lesson or two).


Nana and Grandpa were my reason for coming out to San Diego to live almost 10 years ago now.  That feeling of paradise continued when they generously let me stay with them until I found an apartment and got settled.  But the fondest memories I have were all the Friday nights we shared.  Almost every week of the year that I spent out here, I would brave the Friday afternoon I-5 rush hour to come up to Carlsbad.  The commute didn't bother me at all, because I knew once I got there, Nana and Grandpa would have a glass of wine, French bread, and delicious Brie cheese waiting for me.  We would linger over appetizers for an hour or so, chatting about the week as Nana made her famous macaroni and cheese with a side of tuna salad.  Often Grandpa would make his prized Caesar salad, oiling up the wooden bowl just so.  Then we would sit down to dinner, and Manhattans would give way to a glass of red or sometimes white, and I would listen to my grandparents tell stories about growing up in Brooklyn and raising a family in Poughkeepsie.  That year was one of the most special years of my life.


 As I grew older, Grandpa would often tell me how much having a family is "what it's all about."  Even to a man who loved his career, when it came down to it, his family is what gave him the greatest joy.  Of all the lessons Grandpa has taught me, this one sticks with me the most.  He'll always be my Grandpa, and he will be dearly missed.

So sorry to hear of Bill's passing.  I can picture him sitting with my parents in our living room, chatting and laughing.  Bill had a wonderful laugh and a large personality to go with it.  You are all so very lucky to have had him in your life for so many years.

I have the most wonderful memories of Mr and Mrs Harding-- sorry, they will always be Mr and Mrs to me---.I have so many great memories of all the Harding kids. My very very best to Mrs. Harding; pls tell her that my mom also sends her very best and love to her.

To the Harding Family -
Our condolences on the loss of a remarkable man, and the unselfish founder of a great family. We have many fond memories of you all as friends and neighbors, and know you were proud of him as he surely was of all of you.
Larry Rosenberg & Blanche (Rosenberg) Bergman

Dear Marian,
Dolly and I join you and your beautiful family with our thoughts and condolences.  We often think about you and Bill, as part of our young years in Pougheepsie raising kids and puppies and working hard, and today we are flooded with memories. I will never forget Bill. When he joined IBM we were at the start of semiconductor technology for our systems. We were betting on Germanium, but we were having many problems.  Bill pushed for Silicon and this started a rapid generation of inventions of processes and equipment that made the large scale productionof the components of our System 360 possible. It was an engineering dream that came true, everyone was excited and Bill was in charge and deserving of the lion's share of our success.
Bil was also a good friend and although our careers took us to different areas, we were always in touch, reminiscing about our past or calling with the latest joke.
We had some very good times together.  Do you remember when we spent the night with the Larkins in New York?....and your trips to Paris while we lived there.... We loved it when you came to visit us in Rhode Island....Hard to forget how excited Bill was when, sailing off Newport, we found ourselves in the middle of a 12-meters race and sailed for a while in company of Shamrock... and, as the years went by, it was great to meet for supper after the yearly CD reunions in Pougheepsie.

We love you, Marian, and we will always remember you and keep in touch.   Mike and Dolly.

Our heartfelt condolences to Marian and the Harding family. Bill was a brilliant and courageous man. He will be greatly missed. Love,Tom and Gabriela Wendt

Dear Marian and Bill,
It seems like only yesterday that we were together sharing so many happy events. Your dinner parties in your Poughkeepsie home were always delicious and memorable; the New Year's Eve celebration with our children at The Breakers in Palm Beach; all the IBM functions, celebrating with Ed and I at our 25th anniversary party in Stamford, CT; ---I could go on and on. How lucky to have such wonderful lifelong friends and warm memories. 
You know that Ed and Bill are catching up, right now, on all the new technology! I'll be in touch.
Love, Bunny

As a contemporary of Bill and Marian's children, my acquaintance with the Hardings spans a half-century and dates from the Poughkeepsie years.  I cherish their deep friendship with my parents (Charles and Marion Figueira), especially the connection between Bill and my father.  Bill was larger than life to us all, and there is much I could say.  But to be brief: I celebrate his compassion, vivacity, generosity, sense of humor, conviviality, faith, deep love for his country and for his neighbors, and boundless devotion to his family.  May the angels lead him to Paradise....

We worked together at IBM, he was a great person and manager. I to have great memories. Sorry for your loss.
Jack Cruger, S.C.

I'm thinking of you all at this sad time. I last saw Bill and Marian about 37 years ago---I was 13 and recall thinking of them as my "second" parents. I have such warm memories: our families boating together and watching the Apollo moon landing via a tiny TV on my father's boat. New Year's holiday at the Breakers. Best of all, was experiencing the terrific laughter that my parents (Ed and Bunny Slobodzinski) shared with Bill and Marian. I'd like to think that Bill and Ed are catching up over a drink right now. My love to you all, Natalie (Slobodzinski) Pangaro

Rita and family
So sorry for your loss.  I never had the opportunity to meet your dad, but reading about him and all his accomplishments plus the wonderful family he raised,.....what a man.  Rejoice and celebrate the man you called dad............Moira Hanley

I had the great privilege of spending time with Bill during the last year of his life when his health was failing.  Although we were both in Poughkeepsie during the IBM 360 Series development, I knew Bill only in name at the time.  Only after we both moved to California did we become friends.  
Over the last year Bill told me many stories about his days in Poughkeepsie, about his triumphs but also his failures.  All were moving stories.  
Bill felt his greatest contribution to the IBM Company was his recognition, very early, that silicon would ultimately become the material of choice for transistors.  IBM was going in a different direction at time and most of his colleagues did not agree with his position.  He felt so strongly that he wrote a long letter to the higher-ups detailing his reasons.  That letter persuaded the company to fund him to explore what we all now know was a very cogent prediction.  
Bill maintained his great sense of humor to the very end.  He will be missed by all of us.

My sincere condolences to the Harding family.  I have many great memories of Bill from my experiences working with him at IBM in East Fishkill. I also had the privilege of meeting his  wonderful daughter, Claire, while working in Phoenix. Bill will be remembered fondly and his many contributions will have a lasting impact in the semiconductor industry.

Please accept the condolences of the Garrity Clan, neighbors,friends and fellow Poughkeepsieites!

Please accept my condolences to the entire Harding family.
Although this is a sad occasion, I mostly remember the good times I shared with Bill and Marian. It was a long and loving friendship. We kept in touch and always had a great time when we got together. We enjoyed a few drinks,lots of memories and old jokes.

OBITUARY

William Eugene Harding

15 January, 1924 – 5 June, 2011

Eternal Hills Mortuary & Crematory at Eternal Hills Memorial Park

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