Celebrating the life and lasting impact of Donna Harding, a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher, and friend whose warmth and kindness touched all who knew her. Donna passed away peacefully on October 30th at the age of 79. Born in Kingston on March 19, 1947, Donna was the beloved daughter of George and Mildred Giberson. Donna's educational journey began in the Tunkhannock Area School District and continued at Mansfield and Penn State Universities. She developed a passion for teaching that would inspire countless young minds throughout her remarkable 35 year career as an elementary teacher. Donna truly loved children, and that love was at the heart of her life and her work. She helped establish the computer lab at Roslund Elementary and taught students on the school's first Apple Macintosh computers, embracing innovation while maintaining her passion for helping children learn and grow. She became the person others called on as the IT troubleshooter for Mac computers. Former students continued to greet Donna warmly, even after they had grown up and had children of their own. Those warm greetings were a lasting reminder of the affection they held for her and of the difference she had made in their lives. Donna shared a loving and long-lasting marriage with her devoted husband, Fred Harding, having celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this July. Together, they built a family and life filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. She is survived by her children, Scott Harding (Christina) and Faye Ziegler (Kyle), as well as her brother, Randy Giberson (Traci); and her nephews, Ryan and Garrett Giberson. Her greatest joy was her family, and her legacy lives on through her adored grandchildren, Alexis Harding, Larissa Harding, and Ava Ziegler. The love Donna had for her grandchildren was immeasurable and shone especially brightly. She reveled in being a grandmother. She treasured every opportunity to spend time with them and delighted in spoiling them with love and attention and time—and, yes, presents. But the greatest gift she gave them was herself. She would get down on the floor and enter their imaginative world, read books with them, play dress up with Bitty Baby; bath time was a favorite with the grandchildren. She made the best French toast and blueberry pancakes! She came to the girls’ events and cheered for them. The special traditions Donna shared with her grandchildren will be carried forward as part of her lasting legacy. Donna loved to travel on family vacations, finding joy in both faraway adventures and places close to home. While Donna loved cruising to faraway regions and seeing the splendors of these different countries, Maine always held a special place in her heart. A lover of adventure and nature, she’d always try to go back to Maine each year. Among her favorite traditions were visits to the LL Bean Store in Freeport, walks around Jordan Pond, and enjoying the beauty of Bar Harbor, places that brought her tranquility and tremendous joy. Donna will be remembered most for the kindness and patience she showed others, the love she gave her family, and the countless lives she touched through her years as a teacher and friend. Those who knew Donna can honor her by carrying that same patience, generosity, and compassion forward.

Her life will be celebrated in a service held on Sunday Nov. 1st at 7pm at the Harding-Litwin Funeral Home, located at 123 West Tioga Street, Tunkhannock, PA 18657. A visitation will be held from 5pm until the time of the service. Interment will be held at the Sunnyside Cemetery, Tunkhannock. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Tunkhannock Public Library reflecting her spirit of generosity and love for her community.