John Paul Harding was born on March 28, 1936, in Yale, SD, to Carl and Mildred Marie (Brinkman) Harding and passed away on November 11, 2018, in Seward, NE, at the age of 82 years, 7 months and 14 days.

John spent his early years in South Dakota before moving to Blooming Prairie, MN where his mother taught country School and his father was a repairman. He attended and graduated from Blooming Prairie High School with the Class of 1954. John then attended Winona State University and then later Mankota State University. After college he began working for the Soil Conservation Service (Department of Agriculture). On August 9, 1958, John was united in marriage to Donna Raye Johnson at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Galesville, WI, and to this union three boys were born. After the couple's marriage they moved to Lincoln where John worked for 35 years at the S.C.S. as an Engineering Aid. In 1961, they made their home in Beaver Crossing until the Mother's Day Tornado in May of 2014. He loved to go pheasant and quail hunting with his boys and also coached Little League for 25 years. John loved his family and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandson. In later years, John enjoyed spending time with the guys at JDs for coffee in the morning. He was a former member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Beaver Crossing and was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Seward. John was a member of AA and would have celebrated his 31st year of sobriety in January.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Jean; brother, Wallace; and brother-in-law, Mark Francis.

John is survived by his wife of 60 years, Donna; three sons, Terence and wife Kay Harding, West Des Moines, IA, Jeffrey and wife Yvette Harding, St. Charles, IL, Jon and wife Ann Harding, Prairie Village, KS; three sisters, Josephine Luby, Janet Francis and Deanna Harding; six grandchildren; one great-grandson; nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. To this obituary we add our thoughts, prayers and memories of life shared with John.