Obituary of Margaret M. Harrington

Margaret M. Harrington, 94, died on April 29, 2023 after a long and fulfilling life. Marge was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 20, 1929 to John (Jack) and Margaret (Maggie) McCabe. She attended Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn on an academic scholarship. Later she and her family supported the school's scholarship fund.

Marge had many interesting jobs, both paid and unpaid. In her youth, she and her sister Anna were Irish Step Dancers, traveling around the country in the Major Bowes Show. In high school she worked at Macy's and marched in the Thanksgiving Day Parade several times. While working in advertising at Young & Rubicam she met her future husband, William (Bill) Harrington. They began their lives together in Westchester County, and in 1956 moved to Darien, CT. There she was an active volunteer. She was a room mother, class trip chaperone, etc., at Hindley School where she had her children attending for 25 years! Through St. John Church she prepared and served food each month for over 30 years at the New Covenant Center Soup Kitchen in Stamford. She was also President of the Women's Guild at St. John Church and served as a lay minister. Among her proudest volunteer achievements were the saving of the (unfortunately now-defunct) Darien Movie Theatre (she had a lifelong love of movies!) and the formation of the Darien Senior Center, where she served as Chair for five years. Active in the Darien Community Association, she served as President and saved the DCA Thrift Shop and managed it for several years. She was also instrumental in the formation of Person to Person and was on the board of Aging in Place, now At Home in Darien. Margaret was given the Volunteer of the Year Award for Darien in 1989.

As her five children grew and she had some spare time, she developed a love of tennis which she played several times a week, even into her 80s. She also enjoyed traveling with Bill, who predeceased her in 2019, visiting her family around the country. In declining health, she was able to live at home thanks to the help of her companion and aide Cynthia Hartwell, for whom the family is eternally grateful.

Marge is survived by her five children, Meg Levine (Jeff) of Springfield, VA, Beth Harrington-Howes (Obie) of Portland, ME, Susan Hamill (Jeff) of Darien, CT, Mary Bouton (Ed) of Greenwich, CT, and Bill (Allison) of Glencoe, IL. Her family includes 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was also predeceased by her parents, her brother Michael, and her sister Anna McCabe Murphy, who were all born in Ireland.

Lawrence Funeral Home at 2119 Boston Post Road is handling arrangements. The family will be receiving friends and family there on Monday May 8th from 4pm-7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Church at 1986 Boston Post Road on Tuesday May 9th at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Darien Community Association or the New Covenant Center in Stamford, CT https://www.ccfairfield.org/project/new-covenant-center/.