Joan M. Harrington

1941 - 2019

Joan Mary (Hary) Harrington, 78, of Clarksville, Va., departed to her eternal home Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. She spent her final days at the Sentara MeadowView Terrace with assistance of Hospice in Clarksville, and her family by her side. She was born Feb. 15, 1941, in Pittsburgh, to Henry and Bertha (Gemach) Hary. She married James Harrington on Oct. 10, 1960. Joan was a longtime resident of Herndon, Va., where she lived from the age of 30 till retiring at 64, from Fairfax County Public Schools. As a teenager, Joan was a member of the Pittsburgh Water Babies water ballet team, life guarded and taught swim lessons. Joan was a member and officer of the Herndon Women's Club. She loved to volunteer and contributed a lot of her time to her church, local schools, coaching her children's youth sports, Girl Gcouts, the American Red Cross, where she established many courses for adults and children to learn first aid and CPR since the 1970s. She was a member of all her church choirs and bell choir, and was a Eucharistic minister, serving the Butner prisons. She was an honorary member of the Herndon Chamber of Commerce and helped at a number of local charities, including American Cancer Society Relay for Life as a survivor. Joan established the "Sing Around the Christmas Tree" in Herndon, having Santa arrive on a fire engine to hand out candy canes. She worked as the faith development director for St. Joseph's Church in Herndon. She then moved to Hillsborough, N.C., to be closer to her grandchildren, and then her last residence at their longtime vacation home in Clarksville, Va. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister and brother in-law, Ruth (Bob) Seeburger; and brother in-law, Frank Stecher. Surviving is her husband of 59 years, James Harrington; her daughter, Carole (Wesley) Higdon, of Clarksville, Va.; and son, Michael Harrington of Lawrenceville, Ga.; three granddaughters, Heather (Jeff) Craft, of Clayton, N.C.; Shelby Higdon, of Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Emily Harrington, of Marietta, Ga.; one grandson Sean Harrington, of Buford, Ga.; three great-grandchildren Kinley, Brennan and Darren Craft; three sisters, Rosemarie Stecher, of Pittsburgh, Charlotte (Jim) Tulenko, of Pittsburgh, and Margie (Sam) Ross, of Canonsburg; two brothers, Henry (Jeanne) Hary, of Pittsburgh, and Robert (Marlena) Hary, of Acme; sister-in-law, Karen (Harrington) (Bob) Marzano, of Ortley, N.J.; as well as many, many nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends.
The visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at WATKINS COOPER LYON FUNERAL HOME, Clarksville. A Catholic funeral Mass will be held the following day at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at St. Catherine of Sienna Church, Clarksville. The burial will be at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, McMurray, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mecklenburg County Cancer Association (MCCA) P.O. Box 311, Chase City, VA 23924, or Sentara Halifax Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Ave., South Boston, VA 24592. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.wclfh.com. Arrangements are by Watkins Cooper Lyon Funeral Home.