MILLICENT CARLETTA HUNT HARDING peacefully entered eternal rest on Monday, June 24, 2019. Affectionately called Letta, she was the 3rd of 7 children born to Edward Hunt, Sr and Ethel Catherine Hunt; both hard working business owners and faithful servants of God. She embraced the value of creativity in pursuing her dreams and honor in serving God, her family, church and community.

She was reared and baptized at Zion Bethel United Church of Christ in Portsmouth where she served within various ministries. There she met and married her teenage sweetheart, Preston Calvin Harding after graduating from Cradock High School. They welcomed a daughter, Sherae and son, Preston, Jr. to this union and later their beloved god-daughter, Tiarra.

Millicent enjoyed a more than 30 year career in Banking and Government services, retiring from the United States Coast Guard Finance Center, while continuing studies at Tidewater Community College.

A creative and tenacious person, Letta is well remembered as a great homemaker, excellent cook and a welcoming person of many talents. She was the superb planner extraordinaire in bringing folks together. She never allowed her health challenges to limit her ability to plan every menu and detail of family celebrations and cookouts, assuring her mass social media following that she had it all under control. Her zest for life and love of God were shown in her contagious smile and supported by the many positive people who always surrounded her.

Millicent was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Preston Harding, Sr; parents, Edward, Sr and Ethel Hunt, and sister, Varetta Pugh. Left to cherish her memories are her daughter, Sherae Harding-Griffin (Troy), Dallas, Texas; son, Preston (Temisha), Chesapeake; god-daughter/niece, Tiarra Hunter-Bishop (Brandon), Chesapeake; Grandchildren: Raven, Jazmin, Jaida and Zion, as well as granddaughters/great-nieces, Brailee and Brandyn; Brothers: Edward Hunt, Jr (Helen), Marvin Hunt and Dion Hunt; and Sisters, Evora Hunt-Mills and Duana Hunt; Sister-in-law: Anne Harding, Valerie Brown (James), Lena Williams, Vanginette Benton (Michael), Karen Gulley (LaMarr), Crystal Patillo (Charles); Brother-in-law, Arthur Harding, Jr (Marcella), Aunt, Georgia Barnes, Uncles Herman Grant, Jr and Glenn Grant; Great Aunt, Juanita Redmon; special cousins, Amos Rawls, Jr and Ronnie Rawls, as well as many other nieces, nephews, bonus grandchildren, and countless relatives and friends.

Steele-Bullock Funeral Home is handling arrangements with visitation Thursday, July 4th from 12:00 noon to 6:00. The Service of Celebration is Friday, July 5th at 11:00 am at Grove Baptist Church, 5910 West Norfolk Rd, Portsmouth, Dr. Melvin O. Marriner, Eulogist.