Barbara Jean Harrington

Barbara Jean Ford Harrington was born on June 5th, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Siri Enegren was a housewife who was always home to greet her children Carol Ann and Richard when they arrived home. Barbara’s father was a lawyer who worked every day in downtown Los Angeles.

The Ford family lived in several places, as Barbara’s father, Don Ford was in the Army Air Force. She lived in Pecos, Texas, Fort Leavenworth, Erie, PA and Hollywood. Growing up, the Ford family spent time each summer at the family farm on Coos River in Coos Bay, Oregon. While attending Oregon State she spent many happy weekends and holidays with her Aunt Ellen and Uncle Hut on the farm. Holidays like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving were always a big celebration. Barbara spent many weekends and Christmas at the family ranch in Ojai with her family and her sibling’s families.

Barbara graduated from Dorsey High School on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles in 1959 and was very active throughout her years there. She attended St. Paul’s Church youth group and has kept in touch with the group until her passing. Barbara always knew she wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. She pursued her love of teaching in college and graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in education. Barbara loved every minute of college life at OSU and joined the Kappa Delta sorority. She then began a long and distinguished career in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Her first teaching job was 5th grade at Harbor View Elementary School in Corona del Mar where she taught for 28 years in addition to being the media center coordinator and a TOSA (Teacher On Special Assignment).

Barbara married Robert in 1967 who she had met at the church youth group in high school. And they had two children, Julie and Michael. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from the University of San Francisco, she worked as a vice principal and principal and continued to serve the district for many years. She served as secretary, vice president as president of the Newport Mesa Unified School’s Foundation and furthered the fundraising efforts of the organization. Her claim to fame was her canny way of getting wonderful donors and sponsors in her 25 years of volunteering. She was a member of Kappa Delta sorority and continued to support their philanthropic efforts over the years.

Barbara enjoyed summer time with friends and family at the family log cabin on Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana playing cards and making memories. She loved to travel, scrapbook, needlepoint memorable scenes from her life, collect miniatures for her dollhouse, watch Hallmark movies, and spend time with her four grandchildren. She was patriotic and loved to decorate in red, white and blue. As a teacher and principal, she insisted that her classes include a flag and patriotic song at the start of each school day. Family and close friends meant the world to her.