Ann Therese Harrington

Born in Malden, Massachusetts on October 17, 1930, Ann was the youngest of John and Mary Russell’s five children. Joe, Frank, Stevie, Mary and Ann were a tightly bonded family who remained close and loving throughout their lives and even beyond. Aunt Ann as she was known became something of a family historian. Her many nieces and nephews loved hearing about the antics of her mischievous clan and her remarkable stories of the colorful relatives and friends scattered from Charlestown to Ireland where her father was born.

Ann graduated from Girls Catholic High School and the Chandler School for Women. While working in the Boston insurance industry, Ann met and married Arthur (Arch) Harrington. For the next 54 years they shared their passion for reading, travel, fine clothes and most of all spending time with their extended family. They loved hosting friends and family and their Christmas parties were the source of countless happy memories. Ann loved to decorate and was proud of the homes she created for her family. She especially loved Christmas and her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were dazzled by her Christmas displays.

The Boston area held a special place in Ann’s affections. She reminisced about trips with her mother and sister to downtown Boston stores, many no longer around. Her fashion sense was legendary and even in her last days she perused fashion magazines, ordering items for next season. Any outing was a good reason to dress in her best clothes and jewelry. Though her eyesight had weakened and she needed a magnifier to read her beloved books, she could spot beautiful jewelry from across the room.

In 1978 Ann began a second professional career at New England Telephone/ Verizon, which she thoroughly enjoyed and from which she retired as a senior manager. In 1999 she and Arch moved to Portland, Maine and grew young again helping to care for their grandchildren. They were well known to the faculty and parents at Longfellow school where they made new friends. Ann enjoyed playing with the little ones, especially Trouble, piecing together jigsaw puzzles and teaching card games her mother had taught her.

After the passing of her husband, Ann fell in love all over again with her great-grandson, Atticus. He was her “boyfriend” and joined by his sister Harlow, they brought sunshine and joy to her last years. Her final days were filled with visits from her nieces and relatives. She checked in on old friends on Facebook leaving sweet posts “with Love from Aunt Ann”.

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur J. Harrington, her parents John and Mary Russell, her brothers Joe, Frank, and Steve, and her sister Mary. She was also devoted to her in-laws Georgine Russell, Lois Russell, Shirley Smail, Mildred Harrington and Walter Harrington.

Ann is survived by her daughter Ann Marie Malone and her husband Joe, sons Mark and Peter and his wife Lauren. She is survived by her grandchildren Alessandra Malone Ray and her husband Ben, Samantha Malone and her partner Annie Woods, Lucas Malone, Joe Harrington, and Blake Harrington. Ann was lovingly known as “Old Nana” to her great grandchildren Atticus and Harlow Ray.

She is mourned by her brother in-law Phil McGonagle of North Berwick with whom she and Arch spent so many happy times and her sisters in-law Mary Adams and Elizabeth Waite of Malden, and Shirley Harrington of Wakefield for whom she had enduring affection. Her dozens of nieces and nephews were so important to Aunt Ann and the will miss her at family gatherings.

Ann will be remembered as a stylish, compassionate, faithful woman who in the end believed she “had a good life and had been very lucky”.

A memorial celebration of her life will be held on June 10, 2017 at 11:00AM at St. Joseph Church, 673 Stevens Ave Portland, Maine.

A reception will be held at the home of Ann Marie and Joseph Malone at 30 Highland St in Portland.

All are welcome to come, share stories and celebrate a life well lived.

Please share your memories at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com