Warren Harding

Warren Gardner Harding, 95, of Simms, Montana passed away Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Peace Hospice in Great Falls.A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 10, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Simms United Methodist Church. A reception will follow at the Simms Lions Hall.Warren was born on January 3, 1922 in Williston, ND to Julane Grover Harding and Gardner John Harding. Warrens father was a contractor and constructed numerous buildings in North Dakota. His final project in North Dakota was the Williston Armory. After Warren moved with his parents to Havre, he started helping his father on construction projects. He learned everything from ornamental plastering to finish carpentry.From his mothers musical influence, he became a tenor soloist at an early age. He also played the clarinet throughout high school. He studied with the well-known Los Angeles voice coach, Alexander Campbell and had received an invitation to audition with a Hollywood music producer shortly before the war started.Warren graduated from Havre High School in 1940. While he was in high school, he was a starter on the Havre Blue Ponies 1940 Championship All Montana State Basketball Team, and was a tennis champion as well. Warren was awarded a scholarship to Carleton College for his academics and athletics. However, he stayed in Havre to help his parents and enrolled at Northern Montana College where he met the love of his life, Grace Davies. Warren and Grace were married on December 11, 1942. They shared a lifelong love of music and performed together with Grace either accompanying him on the piano or singing with him for many events.Shortly after the war began, Warren and Grace were recruited into the National Weather Service. Warren was sent to an army base located near the small Eskimo village of Bethel, Alaska and Grace later followed. Through surviving the tough winters together, Warren and Grace developed lifelong friendships with other service couples. Warren learned many of his winter forecasting skills during his time in Alaska.Warren and Grace left Alaska in 1946 and moved back to Simms, where they bought a ranch next to Graces parents, Dillwyn and Elsie Davies. Warren completed his Bachelor of Science degree at the College of Great Falls and did graduate work in meteorology through the University of Oregon and Pennsylvania State. Warren became the aviation forecaster for the National Weather Service in Great Falls. He loved flying and joined an aviation club where he took flying lessons. Warren became the lead forecaster for the National Weather Service for the state of Montana. In 1974, he was awarded the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal for his outstanding research on winter storm forecasting. He also functioned as the hydrologist for the Sun River and was responsible for flood predictions. He retired from the Weather Service in 1981.After retiring, Warren and Grace partnered with their good friends, Bill and Shirley Rammer to start Northwest Weather Associates. The company contracted with the U.S. government to operate weather observatories around the western half of the country. In 1983, he was appointed as a "public" member of the Legislative Environmental Quality Council. He also provided legal testimony as an expert witness and wrote articles for the book, Montana Weather. Warren had an excellent memory and could remember the exact conditions leading to the significant storms of the Northwest. He was following the weather models and the river readings on his computer until close to his death. His friends, the local farmers and ranchers, called on him for his forecasts on impending storms and flood conditions. He loved to talk about weather with anyone who would listen. His children learned that asking hows the weather would likely involve a lengthy discussion of the meteorology behind the forecast.Warren was very active in historical conservation activities. He became a board member on the Cascade Historical Preservation Society and worked to save the 10th Street Bridge. He served as the President of the J.C. Adams Stone Barn, The Sun River Valley Historical Society, and the Sun River Valley Lions Club. Warren was one of the original founders of Rocky Mountain Treatment Center Inc. He was also a member of the Simms United Methodist Church.He loved the Rocky Mountain Front and enjoyed living in the house he built for Grace. They would sit together and watch the spectacular views of the cloud formations set in relief against the mountains. He was a wonderful caretaker for his wife, Grace as she battled severe rheumatoid arthritis for over 50 years. When Grace died in August of 2014, a part of Warren died as well. As his health failed, he was very frustrated that he couldnt be out irrigating and driving. He made many new friends at Front Range Assisted Living and Parkview Assisted Living. Warren was known for being extremely friendly and kind to everyone.Warren is survived by his son, David Harding of Great Falls; daughter Ann Bellwood of Simms; granddaughter Leslie Bellwood of Moorhead, MN; and Leslies father Richard Bellwood of Simms.Warren was preceded by his wife, Grace in 2014, and son John Leslie Harding in 1975.