Donna Kirkwood Harding was born on January 4, 1921 in Memphis, TN. Donna was the oldest daughter of Donald and Sarah Morris Kirkwood of Panola County, MS. Her siblings included William (Billy) Kirkwood, Nancy Kirkwood Ross and Robert (Bob) Kirkwood. She spent her early years in Earle, AR before moving to the Water Valley area in 1936. She was a graduate of Campground High School where she was selected “Miss Camp Ground - 1940”. During the war she worked in Hattiesburg, MS and she was a welder building transport ships in Oakland, CA.
Donna and Norris Harding married in November of 1945. They had three children, Donald Harding, William (Billy) Harding and Bruce Harding. Donna was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Water Valley, MS where she taught Sunday School for many years. She also served at the Sand Spring (Orwood) Presbyterian Church and Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church. Donna was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2011 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley, MS. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at Seven Oaks Funeral Home with Bro. Harold Sprayberry and Rev. Melvin Mordecai officiating. Interment will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery of Water Valley, MS with Clay Ashford, Barron Caulfield, Jr., Trent Howell, Robert Norwood, Jimmy Treloar and John Wood serving as pallbearers.
Donna is survived by her three sons, Donald Frank (Jean) Harding of Caledonia, MS, William “Bill” Norris Harding of Clarksdale, MS, and Roger Bruce (Teresa) Harding of Bartlett, TN; one sister, Nancy Kirkwood Ross of Mayflower, AR; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Norris D. Harding; and two brothers, William and Robert Kirkwood.