John Harrington's Obituary
Long time Lorain area physician Dr. John J. Harrington passed away after a long illness on Saturday, October 31, 2009. He was born on October 26, 1927 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to John J. Harrington and Mary Coughlin Harrington both of County Cork, Ireland.
Dr. Harrington attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts for 1 year as a pre-med student. He then enlisted at age 18 in the U.S. Army during WWll. He served in Battery A, 15th Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. After the service he completed his studies at Holy Cross College and then attended Tufts University Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He did his residency training in Anesthesiology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and served on the teaching staff at Ford Hospital for 1 year.
Dr. Harrington and his late wife Frances Gomes Harrington came to Lorain County in 1958. He established the Anesthesia Department in the new Lorain Community Hospital and served as Chief of Staff for one term. He was Board Certified in Anesthesiology in 1961. He taught CPR to the hospital nurses and Lorain City fireman at Lorain County Community College for several years. He served on many hospital committees and belonged to several local, state and national medical and professional societies.
Dr. Harrington enjoyed fishing in Lake Erie in his Boston Whaler. He also enjoyed fishing the coastal waters from Canada to the Caribbean Islands. He enjoyed woodworking, building and refinishing furniture, and was well-known for his model-ship building and love of military history, especially the Civil War.
His survivors include his wife of 13 years, Carol Robertson Harrington; his daughters Jacqueline Ghanma and husband Manhal Ghanma, M.D. of Lorain, Kathleen Melilli and husband Vito Melilli of North Royalton, Ruth Kanner and husband Robert Kanner of Cleveland Heights and Maureen Hillyer of Columbus; his sons Matthew Harrington, D.D. S. and wife Christine Tender Harrington, D.D. S. of Columbus, Patrick Harrington, J.D. and wife Cynthia Brown Harrington, M.D. of Avon; stepchildren Catherine Boutelle of Columbus and Gregory Robertson of Wickliffe. Dr. Harrington's grandchildren include Nicholas, Daniel, and Lauren Ghanma, Anne and Carlton Kanner, Rachel Melilli, Frances Hillyer, John and Matthew Harrington and Claire, Andrea, Madeline and Henry Boutelle.
His family will fondly remember sharing many fishing trips, stories, and jokes over the years with Grandpa John. He loved to attend his children's and grandchildren's activities and could always be counted on to be rooting for them at their sporting events.
Also surviving him are his sisters, Margaret Lanzillo of Troy, New York and Ann T. Harrington of New Bedford, Massachusetts; niece Maria Baumhauer and husband John Baumhauer of Indianapolis, Indiana; nephew, James Lanzillo and wife Janet Burak Lanzillo of New York City.
He was pre-deceased by his wife of 43 years, Frances Gomes Harrington; his parents, John J. Harrington, Sr. and Mary Coughlin Harrington and his sister, Elizabeth Harrington.
If you would like to make a donation in Dr. Harrington's memory, the family suggests his favorite charity, "The Smile Train" P.O. Box 96231, Washington , D.C. 20090.
The family will receive friends on Thursday Nov. 5, 2009 from 4-8 p.m. in the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday November 6, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 1305 E. Erie Ave., Lorain. Fr. Joseph West, pastor, will officiate. EVERYONE IS TO PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH. Private burial will take place.
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