Theodore A. Harding

Theodore A. Harding (Ted), age 98, was born in 1925 and sadly passed away on August 28, 2024. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Florence Amelia Harding (nee Smith) and the late Edgar Owings Harding. Theodore is the beloved husband of the late Elouise C. Harding, loving father of Mary Margaret Harding and Michael Harding and his wife Mary Rose Harding (nee Irving), cherished grandfather of Meagan Lynn Parrow (nee Hayes) and Richard Wayne Hayes, III, caring great-grandfather of Jack Walter Parrow and Austin Wesley Parrow, dear brother of the late William O. Harding, the late Dorothy Harding Henck, the late Roxanne Harding Duncan, and the late Edgar Harding. Theodore is also survived by other loving relatives and friends. 

He was born during the “Roaring 20’s”, grew up during the “Great Depression” and was a member of the “Greatest Generation”. Ted was the youngest of five children and attended schools in Baltimore City. His favorite was Boys Vocational School which was located on Howard and Center Streets. He studied cabinetry and became proficient in wood working. He made lamps, foot stools, book cases and cabinets. The students also made items for the Military and American Red Cross such as standing ash trays, and cafeteria tables. He finished the three year training in two and a half years and has always been thankful for his teachers who insisted on quality, perfection and safety.

By then, WWII was in progress. He worked at Fort Meade in the metal shop then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. On Christmas Eve 1943 he boarded a train to Paris Island, South Carolina and started Basic Training. He said he had a tough Drill Sargent who made them march and jog every day, everyplace, with a full back pack with rifle and bayonet. 

From Paris Island Ted went to Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, and finally on to San Diego where he met his ship bound for the Pacific Theatre. He was assigned to 1st Marine Division, 5th Marines, H&S Company on Okinawa during the Allied invasion. His last duty assignment was to Occupation Forces in Peiping China, from September 1945 to March 1946. He had a great time in China meeting an English speaking Chinese man who took his buddy and him to see some of the beautiful and historic sights. He also became an excellent ice skater while there, and brought home his custom made ice skates made from a pair of American Army boots and Chinese metal. Ted earned the World War II Victory Commemoration, Navy Presidential Unit Citation and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbons. Also, he was awarded a medal for Marksman in Grenade, Bayonet, and Sub-machine. He returned home and was discharged in April of 1946. 

After returning, Ted worked on the 62 acre farm in Howard County that his Uncle, Ralph W. Smith Sr. bought prior to WWII. His Uncle was from a very large family and wanted to have a farm so he could feed his family during the war. This farm is called Glen Mar and is a community where the original Glen Mar United Methodist Church was located in Howard County. Ted worked on the farm and then joined his Uncle doing electrical work. During this time he earned and maintained an Electrical License from the State of Maryland as a Master Electrician for the entire State until 2019. Soon he opened his own business and named it “Arbutus Electric Company”. Meanwhile, Ted met his future wife, Elouise, married her and lived in Arbutus. The 1950’s and 60’s was a time of economic expansion and the business grew. The biggest opportunity came when he was awarded the contract to wire homes for Maryland Housing Corporation at $40.00 per house and then raising the cost to $60.00 per house. The community of Wynnewood located in Halethorpe, as well as houses in Columbia Hills, in Columbia, Maryland, Indian Hills, and on the Eastern Shore were some of “his houses”. It was common as Ted was driving throughout Baltimore City and County, to point to the houses and discuss the work he had done in each. Every year throughout the 50s and 60s he would donate his time to string Christmas lights across East Drive in Arbutus and to make a Christmas Tree of Lights on the flag pole. For the annual Arbutus Arts Festival he donated his time and material to provide electric for the food stands for the first 45 years.

1976 brought a big change for Ted. He asked Joseph F. Ambrose, Sr. for a petition to join Masonry. He received his First Degree of Entered Apprentice on April 1, 1976. He exemplified and received the Fellow Craft Degree on April 15 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on May 6, 1976. All within five weeks! Throughout 1976 he participated with the Waverly Lodge Colonial Group. This group presented the American Flag at various masonic and community events and conferred Masonic Degrees dressed in their colonial costumes throughout Lodges in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Ted loved, loved and loved Masonry as Masons know. He always insisted on perfection, not correction and lived his life by this motto. He held many roles and enjoyed each. He served as Master of Waverly Lodge No. 152 seven times, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. He served as Secretary for his lodge for about 10 years, prepared the bi-monthly communication for at least 20 years and was Ritualist for just as long. He was elected Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden in 1990. He was on the Board of Trustees of the Grand Lodge of Maryland and was appointed as a Grand Inspector followed by many years as a Deputy Grand Lecturer. He concurrently served about 30 years as Secretary of the Baltimore Past Masters Association, turning over a 500 person data base to the incoming Secretary about three years ago when he was 95. In his spare time in the summer he maintained a database for attendance records for the Grand Lodge Summer School for about 30 years. Last year he completed 48 years of consecutive perfect attendance at Grand Lodge Summer School. He was active in the Shield and Square Club organized by Past Grand Master Jack Biggs. He also belonged to the Scottish Rite and Boumi Shrine. He is most proud of receiving The Warren S. Seipp Medal for selfless devotion to Freemasonry and Distinguished Service to the Grand Lodge of Maryland.

He joined Eastern Star in 1978 and served as Worthy Patron twice with his daughter as Worthy Matron. Ted enjoyed wood working so much he made over 100 gavels for the elected leadership of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, Grand Chapter of Maryland Order of Eastern Star, Job’s Daughters and DeMolay.

In conclusion, this is one of Ted’s favorite poems:

I am only one,

But I am still one.

I cannot do everything,

But still I can do something;

And because I cannot

Do everything,

I will not refuse to do the

Something that I can do.

A viewing will be held at Ambrose Funeral Home, 1328 Sulphur Spring Road, Halethorpe MD 21227 on Friday, September 6th from 4-9pm with an Eastern Star service beginning at 7pm and a Masonic Service beginning at 7:30pm. A funeral service will take place Saturday 12pm at Melville Chapel United Methodist Church 5660 Furnace Ave, Elkridge, MD 21075 followed by burial at Meadowridge Memorial Park 7250 Washington Blvd, Elkridge, MD 21075 . In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Ted’s memory to Paralyzed Veterans of America. A Luncheon Reception will be held after the burial at Guiness Open Gate Brewery, 5001 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe, MD 21227.