Helen Harrington Hutcheson

HUTCHESON, Helen Harrington, 89, of Richmond, died after a brief illness. Born in Boston, Mass. to Dr. Daniel James Harrington and his wife, Madeline Evans, she attended Jeanne D'Arc Academy in Milton, Mass., and Emmanuel College in Boston. She was married in 1940 to Lieutenant Commander (USN) Bruce M. McKalson of Portland Ore., a decorated World War II pilot, who predeceased her in 1945. She graduated with honors from Massachusetts Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and quickly rose in her field, becoming a respected and accomplished leader in her profession. She married Dr. James Morrison Hutcheson Jr. in 1954, who was completing his medical training in Boston; they settled in Richmond soon thereafter. Dr. Hutcheson, a Richmond native, predeceased her in 1976. She is survived by her daughter, Madeline Hutcheson Mayhood and her husband, Clay, of Richmond; her beloved brother, Thomas Alfred Harrington and his wife, Marie Crane, of Melbourne, Fla.; her devoted friend and companion, Carolyn Jay Beauchemin of Richmond; three stepgrandchildren, Sean Clayton Mayhood and Carly Cathleen Mayhood of Richmond, and Colin Michael Mayhood of Washington, D.C.; and her sister-in-law, Margaret Hutcheson Dorrier and her husband, Bill, of Hockessin, Del. Two brothers, John Evans Harrington of Winterport, Maine and Daniel James Harrington Jr. of Worcester, Mass., predeceased her. She is also survived by her many loving nieces and nephews, their spouses, partners and families to whom she was devoted, John Evans Harrington Jr. of Winterport, Maine, Pamela Harrington Tomkinson of Naples, Maine, Jeffrey Granger Stewart of Jersey City, N.J., Daniel James Harrington III of Tucson, Ariz., Ellen Harrington Ylitalo of Annapolis, Md., Mariann Harrington Mahoney of Mansfield, Mass., Patricia Kelley Harrington of Worcester, Mass., Thomas Alfred Harrington Jr. of Chesapeake, Va., Allan Crane Harrington of Bethesda, Md., Stephen Reed Harrington of Groton, Mass., Margaret Dorrier Smariga of Frederick, Md., William Aldrich Dorrier Jr. of Traverse City, Mich., Catherine Ritchie Dorrier of Juneau, Alaska, and Mary Dorrier Finnegan of Media, Pa. Two nieces, Barbara Weatherbee Harrington of Winterport, Maine and Jayne Harrington Rogers of Hampden, Maine; and a nephew, Jonathan Evans Stewart of Sandy Point, Maine predeceased her. In addition, she had many loving grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and other relatives of whom she was most proud. A longtime member of the Junior Board of Sheltering Arms Hospital, Helen also served as a board member of Camp Merriewoode Harrison, and was involved in many other organizations with which she shared her talent and energy. Her interests ran deep and included animal rights and advocacy, children-at-risk, politics, decorative arts, antiques, interior design and gardening. Always interested in personal growth, she was an avid reader and encouraged that passion in those around her. Helen was a devoted wife, mother, friend and role model to many. She profoundly touched those who knew her with her abundance of grace, strength and character. She provided a loving home for many throughout her life and was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be remembered for her wit,


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.