Donald Joseph Harrington

Donald J. Harrington, 86, of Clearwater, FL and LeRaysville, PA, died July 26, 2014. He was born in Sanborn, IA on November 13, 1927 to Ruth and Leo Harrington. Don graduated from Iowa State University with honors earning a Chemical Engineering degree. He was hired by Standard Oil of New Jersey and continued with Esso/Exxon until he retired in 1986. He married Verne Michaels on September 4, 1954. Don was based in Linden, NJ and later in New York. He lived in East Brunswick, NJ but moved with his family to work in Madrid, Spain; Melbourne, Australia and Houston, TX. After retirement, he volunteered his time preparing tax returns and performed volunteer work for St. Patrick’s Church on Irish Hill, PA. He maintained genealogy websites and freely shared his research with others. Don received his greatest happiness from caring for his immediate and extended family. For thirty years, he hosted a Harrington Family Reunion at his farm in Pennsylvania allowing five generations of Harringtons to laugh, play together, and share stories. He was preceded in death by his parents Ruth and Leo, as well as his brother, Bob. He is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-nine years, Verne; siblings Mary Uhe, Marge Yakel, Lorrene Moermond, and Jim Harrington; children Karen Hicks, Jeri (and David) Dubec, Andrew (and Julie) Harrington, Dan (and Beth) Harrington, Sean (and Mary Ann) Harrington, and Liz (and Steve) Gunter. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Caitlin Hicks, Allison Hicks, Erik Dubec, Elissa Harrington, Austin Gunter, Jacob Harrington, Michael Harrington, and Collin Gunter, one great grandchild, Connor Harrington, as well as numerous beloved relatives and friends. A Memorial Mass will be held on September 6, 2014 at 11am at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Friendsville, PA. Inurnment will follow at St Patrick's Cemetery on Irish Hill Friendsville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you forgive a friend or do a good deed for a stranger in remembrance of this exceptional man.