Frances Saul Harrington

Frances S. "Fran" Harrington, 93, a longtime resident of Newington, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 25, 2017 with family at her side. Born on April 15, 1924, in Stratford, Fran was the daughter of the late John R. and Hazel (Ruther) Saul. Fran married the (late)Richard A. "Dick" Harrington, Sr. and together they raised seven children. Fran and Dick enjoyed traveling the United States together and they were blessed to share 62 years of marriage. Fran was a communicant of Church of the Holy Spirit and formerly of St. Mary Church in Newington and served on the Ladies Guild and the Altar Guild. A woman of strong Catholic faith, she was a supporter of the pro-life movement. In her leisure time she volunteered as a driver and blood donor for the American Red Cross, bowled in a duckpin bowling league, and was well known for writing colorful letters to the editor. Most of all, she found joy in being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Fran is survived by her children, Jeanne DiGenova and her husband Rocco of Wallingford, Richard "Rick" Harrington, Jr. and his wife Bobbi Noel of Guerneville, CA, Mary Haddican and her husband Mike of Tulsa, OK, Thomas "Thom" Harrington and his wife Cathy of Manassas, VA, Nadine Ernst and her husband Steve of Middlefield, John Harrington, Sr. and his wife Leana of E. Berlin, and James "Jim" Harrington, Sr. and his wife Lynn of Plattsburgh, NY; her sister Hazel Johnson of Portland, her sister-in-law, Babs Landon of TX, twenty-one grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents and husband, Fran was pre-deceased by her brother, John "J.R." Saul, her sister, Jeanne Gehl, and a great-grandson, Charlie DiGenova. Funeral services for Fran will begin on Friday morning, September 1 at 9:00 a.m. at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Newington. Committal services will be held in West Meadow Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to call on the family on Thursday, August 31, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Newington Memorial. Memorial Contributions may be made to The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, DC, 20017, or to the Macular Degeneration Association, 5959 Cattleridge Blvd., Suite 100 Sarasota, FL 34232, or Porta Caeli House, PO Box 580460, Tulsa, OK 74158, or your local Autism Support Organization.