Richard Harden

Richard Allen Harden, 92, of Davenport, passed away Friday, February 16, 2024 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.

 Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 26, 2024 at 10:30 am at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home.  Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2024 from 2:00-5:00 pm at the funeral home.   There will also be additional visitation from 9:30 am until the time of the service Monday.  Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park.  Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, or Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.

 Richard was born on March 31, 1931 in Rock Island, Illinois, son of  James and Gladys (Wolverton) Harden.  He was united in marriage to Karen Lefler on June 12, 1964 and raised 6 children together. 

 Richard’s father died when he was 5 years old leaving his young mother with 5 children under the age of 9.  Consequently, his family was very poor and he went to work in a bowling alley at the age of 12 so he could have his own spending money.  When he got better jobs he would give his mother as much money as he could to help her.  This led to him having a strong work ethic.  Without a father to guide him, he grew up a free spirit.  Living a few blocks away from the Mississippi River, he spent many carefree hours there and learned to swim in the river, resulting in many adventures and misadventures much like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.  

 He enlisted in the army when he was 17 years old with his friends Norm Teter and Rollie Reynolds.  After basic training he was sent to Berlin, Germany where he served 2 years and 8 months with the Military Police during the Berlin Airlift. 

 After returning to Rock Island, he started working in the shops at the Rock Island Arsenal working his way up in the office to managing 8” howitzer shell rounds for the U.S. Army Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command, retiring in 1989 after 38 years.  

 He joined the YMCA in 1968, jogged and exercised and swam almost every day until 2019.  After working out, he enjoyed having coffee with his many friends in the Y coffee room.  In the 2001 Senior Olympics in Rock Island when he was 70, he received 4 gold medals for swimming the 50 free style, 100 free style, 200 free style and 500 free style.

 Richard also enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, swimming, mushroom hunting, jogging, hiking and bike riding, 

 Above all, he loved his family dearly and unconditionally.  He will be deeply missed.  

 Those left to honor his memory include Karen, his wife of 59 years, children, Connie (Lewis) Moore, Terri (Robert) Moeller, Paul (Kirsten) Harden, Lori (Gerald) Wade, Randy (Kerrie) Harden, and Sara (William) Corbin; grandchildren Brian (Tami) Conklin, Kevin (Brianna) Conklin, Steven Moeller, Amy (Brian) Vickers, Jeffrey (Courtney) Moeller, Andrea (Jamie) Hendrickson, Joshua (Lydia) Harden, Van Harden, Kristi (Brock) Liston, Daniel Wade, Jackson Wade, Lucas (Amber) Harden, Kaitlin Harden, Sawyer Harden, Bailey Corbin, Garrett Corbin and Reece Corbin; 19 great grandchildren; and brother Edmund (Margaret) Roberts.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, children Julie Kay Harden and Luann Denise Harden, siblings Betty Lou Thibodeaux, Betty Lee Little, Robert Harden and Barbara Spaulding, and grandchildren Joseph Corbin and Starling Kay Moliterno.

The family would like to thank the multitude of doctors and nurses who provided excellent care to Richard during his many years battling cancer.