Raymond A. Harding

Obituary for Raymond A. Harding

8/5/1927 – 8/20/2019

On Tuesday, August 20, 2019 Raymond passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

Born in Richmond, Indiana to Ruth Hart and Raymond Adam Harding, Sr., he was raised in Dayton, Ohio where his father worked as a welder for the Frigidaire Appliance unit of General Motors Company.  Ray attended Fairmont High School in Dayton where he played a variety of sports, including as quarterback of the football team. Upon graduating from high school in Spring 1945, he enlisted in the US Navy on July 2, 1945.  Ray was selected to participate in Naval Aviator training at bases in Dallas, Pensacola, Norfolk, and Jacksonville and received his Aviator certificate on July 24, 1948. His training involved flying a Corsair and taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier, which he said resembled a coffin floating in the sea as you approached at night.  Ray was assigned to the US Atlantic Fleet and received an Honorable Discharge from the Navy in November 1949.

While temporarily assigned to Norfolk Naval Air Base in 1948, he met Edna Palmer through mutual friends and began a long-distance relationship after reassignment to Jacksonville, FL.  After marrying in Elizabeth City, NC on June 13, 1950, they made their home in Columbus, Ohio, where Ray was a student at Ohio State University. He graduated with a degree in Finance from OSU and was hired by Campbell Soup Company to work at corporate headquarters in Camden, NJ.  They quickly relocated from Columbus, OH to Earlton, NJ so Ray could start his job on July 1, 1952.

Thus began a 40-year career with Campbell Soup Company where Ray worked in various Finance positions of increasing responsibility culminating in Director of Corporate Development.  Through his due diligence, the Company expanded the brand through the acquisition of Mrs. Paul’s, Arnott’s, Pace and Sanwa Foods to name a few.

In 1962, the family moved to their final residence in Cherry Hill, NJ.  During his free time, Ray was an active board member of Big Brothers of Camden County, founder of the Cherry Hill Scholarship Foundation and, from 1966-1971, served as Vice President and President of the Cherry Hill School Board.  A dedication plaque bearing his name hangs in the entry of Cherry Hill High School East, attended by both Ray’s children, Ellen and Bill Harding. Ray was an avid tennis player and served as a deacon at the Trinity United Presbyterian Church where he remained a member until he relocated in retirement.  On January 1, 1986, his wife of 35 years, Edna, died after a 6-month battle with brain cancer.

Following an introduction by a longtime family friend, Ray married Angela Casella on April 18, 1987.  The blending of the two families added three daughters into his life: Jo-Anne, Lynne and Angela, to his evident delight.  Ray retired from Campbell Soup Company on February 1, 1992 and relocated with Angela to North Palm Beach, Florida as their winter residence.  They also purchased a home in Southbury, CT to spend time during summers and holidays with their grandchildren, who referred to Ray affectionately as “Poppi”.  Ray and Angela enjoyed cruising to exotic locations and annual visits to Italy, where daughter Lynne and family live. For the past 5 years, they have been living at The Greens in Cannondale in Wilton, CT.

Ray was preceded in death by his first wife, Edna, son William (Bill) and his parents.  He is survived by his wife Angela, daughter Ellen (Kim) Schmidt, Jo-Anne (Kevin) Morley, Lynne (Domenico) Noceti, Angela (Leonard) St. Pierre, 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

The family will be receiving visitors on Sunday, August 25 between 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Hoyt-Cognetta/Raymond Funeral Home in Historic Norwalk.  The visitation will conclude with a memorial service celebrating Ray’s life, followed immediately by a military salute honoring Ray’s service in the Navy.