Ronnie Harrington

1954 - 2014

Ronnie Harrington

Hattiesburg

Ronnie Harrington, 59, of Hattiesburg, died May 9, 2014, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Services will be at 11 a.m., Friday, May 16, 2014, at Heritage United Methodist Church, followed by burial in Highland Cemetery.

Mr. Harrington was a standout athlete at Petal High School and in 1973 signed a baseball scholarship with William Carey College. In 1976 he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and played his way to Triple A before having shoulder surgery and being released in 1979. In 2012 he was inducted into the William Carey University Sports Hall of Fame.

Following his baseball career, he got his real estate license and was an agent for two years. Then he worked in the oil field for eight years, and for Kraft Foods for eight years. He then opened Cane Creek restaurant, which he owned for two years. Since 1995 he worked as a real estate investor and was co-owner with his wife, Georgia, of GAR Realty, LLC.

He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Harrington; his brother, Freddy Harrington; and his stepfather, Charles Cluff.

He is survived by his wife, Georgia Beldekas Harrington of Hattiesburg; two sons, John Ronald Harrington and Michael Alexander Harrington of Hattiesburg; his mother, Betty Cluff of Petal; his sister, Wynn Bridges of Hattiesburg; his half-sister, Joey Harrington of Washington DC; and a number of aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to: Heritage United Methodist Church, 3 Baracuda Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39402; or Mercy House, West University Baptist Church, Memo-Mercy House, 6218 Auden St., Houston, TX 77005.

Visitation will be Thursday from 5-8 p.m. at the church.