| Farewell to Dick Harrington (W887) Professor Emeritus of North American Wayfarer Cruising a work in progress 2024.06.29 an album featuring Dick at various International Rallies 2024.07.09 an album featuring Dick at various North American Rallies an album of Dick at various Chesapeake Cruises an album of some of Dick's Cruise log photos |
| Richard “Dick” Charles Harrington, 87, of Geneva, Ohio passed away Thursday, May 9, 2024, at UH Geneva Medical Center. Born July 29, 1936,
in Milford, MA, he was the son of Harold L. and Bertha M. “Betty”
(Wilder) Harrington. He went on to graduate from Northeastern University
in 1962 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and was a member of the
Beta Gamma Epsilon fraternity. After graduation, he served in the U.S.
Army and was honorably discharged in June 1965 as a First Lieutenant. In
1964, Dick married his first wife, Louise Niblack Harrington, the
mother of his five daughters, and later married Margaret R. Cervenik.
Both preceded him in death. Dick worked as an engineer and project manager at General Motors, Carborundum, Diamond Shamrock, Davy McKee, and Cleveland Electric Illuminating (later Centerior). In his free time, he enjoyed woodworking, hunting, fishing, archery, camping with his family, and sailing his 16-foot Wayfarer, “Blue Mist.” In all of those endeavors, he had one essential companion: his Golden Retriever. With fellow sailors from the U.S. Wayfarer Association, Dick organized and led sailboat cruises in various locations, including the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay. He also wrote stories about his adventures, many of which were published in sailing magazines. Family camping trips were memorable and occasionally terrifying, as Dick was not about to permit a failing car engine or other mishaps to abort a trip, even into the desert. In the arena of woodworking, Dick loved hand-crafting special items such as bookcases, writing desks, and ride-on toys for his children and grandkids. He retired to Geneva, Ohio with his longtime companion, Jane Korver. They enjoyed the area’s trails and famous vineyards with her four daughters and many friends. Dick also enjoyed traveling overseas to destinations including Turkey, Norway and Ireland – occasionally even sailing with European Wayfarer friends. Richard Harrington is survived by his five daughters, Patricia Harrington-Duff (Joseph Duff), Sally J. Harrington-Caldwell, Denise Ketcham (Rich Ketcham), Holly Yaniero (Robert Yaniero), and Rebecca Brown; best friend and longtime companion, Jane Korver; brother, David A. Harrington of Clarence Center, NY; twelve grandchildren, Ryan (Cassandra) S. Duff, Kyle A. Duff, Caia Caldwell (Sam Noerpel), Marissa Caldwell, Celia Caldwell, Genevieve Ketcham, Tristan Ketcham, Alexander Yaniero, Benjamin Yaniero, Grace Yaniero, Hope Brown, and Wyatt Brown; and one great-grandchild, Desmond Noerpel. Dick was preceded in death by his brother, Lawrence H. Harrington; parents, Harold L. and Bertha “Betty” M. (Wilder) Harrington; paternal grandparents, Charles Matthew and Lillian Caroline (Lewis) Harrington; maternal grandparents, Frank C. and Alice V. (Lane) Wilder. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for the Summer of 2024, in or near Geneva, Ohio. Lake Erie Cremation and Funeral Services, 1500 Harpersfield Road, Geneva, Ohio assisted the family with arrangements. www.LakeErieCrematory.com |
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Hello everyone — Thinking about our upcoming
rally at Hermit Island, I got it in my head this afternoon to try to call Dick Harrington
to see how he was doing. The subject line says it all. Finding the
phone number I had to be out of service, I checked obituaries on line. When I last
talked with Dick to see if he might join us at Wellesley Island - so that must
have been during the
height of the COVID pandemic -
he was doing OK, but not sailing much given the need to care for Jane who was
not at all well. I see from the obituary that she is still alive.
Fortunately, I recall that she had some children who might be able to
step in now that Dick is gone. I certainly wish I had called earlier when
I last thought about it. Please share with other Wayfarers who would have
known Dick. — Margie
Begin
forwarded message: From:
Margaret McKelvey <margaret_mckelvey@yahoo.com> Subject:
Passing of Dick Harrington Date:
June 19, 2024 at 2:29:00 PM EDT To:
Patricia Duff <pharringtonduff@yahoo.com> Hello
Patricia — I have this e-mail address from a 10-year old message from our dear
Wayfarer friend Dick Harrington, so hope it is still current. I was just
trying to call him to see how he was doing and got a recording that the phone
number was not in service. That prompted me to check obituaries and,
sadly, did find one for Dick. What a wonderful sailor and organizer he
was! He very kindly brought my partner, Bill Harkins, and me into the
North American Wayfaring family which has been a very important part of our
lives for over 20 years.
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| Tony Krauss shares some of his many memories of his pal, Dick From: tmk-11044 [mailto:tony.krauss@gmail.com] Prior to Dick’s finding his final love in W887, he owned 2389, a Customflex Mk I built in Toledo, OH. i have no idea how he stumbled across her, but then, he did grow up and learn to sail in the Buffalo, NY area, so who knows? My second-fondest memory of Dick was a pre-race ”meeting” in which i, in a 12’ scow, punched a large hole in 2389’s port bow and my initial thoughts were that Wayfarers must be awfully lightly built. However, when it then dawned upon me that the horizontal beam of my little scow had been cut out of a 2x6, i granted that perhaps it wasn’t all to the Wayfarer’s fault. Dick, ever the gracious gentleman that he was, merely glowered, said nothing, and won. My fondest memory of Dick was when i had the great pleasure of sailing with him at the 1995 Worlds out of TSCC in Toronto on 887 Blue Mist. We had a grand time, and finished in the middle of the 5 boats US boats, not a bad showing, i thought (my memory was that the last 5 of the fleet were all Yanks, but Al’s history shows i was wrong). Those who knew Dick only in passing may have the impression that he could have the outward appearance of being, if not exactly nervous, perhaps at least a bit ”overly attentive”. This was simply his concern for crew, or others in life generally, for whom his solidly analytical engineering mind had not yet attained sufficient data to say to himself ”Yep, they’re OK, now we can move on.” When i failed to raise the centerboard during a practice race, we nosed over under spinnaker; Dick was probably at that moment the calmest i had ever, before or since, seen him. Not a care in the world: it’s simply a small problem that we get to solve. I last saw Dick and Jane when we made the jaunt out to Geauga, OH to pay a little visit some 5 years ago. We went on a little vineyard crawl, which was great fun. At one there was a local musician, Colin Dussault, playing before a small group of folks enjoying the Sunday afternoon. Dick and Jane promptly got up and started dancing in the only open area available. Mary told me the people next to us said words to the effect of ”when we’re old, i hope we’re still dancing like that cute little couple.” But such is my memory: i may be wrong in some details, but my fondness for Dick is not. (1) As an aside to my Canadian friends, Dick at the time lived in a house that a high school friend of mine, originally from Gravenhurst, ONT, had lived in (it is a very small burg) when we were both wayward youths. from Tom and Diane Erickson (W275 Possum) From: terickson275@gmail.com I’m forever grateful to Dick. He was the first Wayfarer I knew. He encouraged me to go to the first North
American rally in Vermont. That began
years of attending rallies and following in his cruising footsteps. Dick was always helpful, always encouraging, always taking
an interest in Diane and me in W275
Possum. God bless him.. Tom and Diane
On Thu, Jun 20, 2024 at 1:34 PM Sean Ring <seanring@msn.com> wrote:
Sad news. Thanks
for sharing. Eternal fair
winds to Dick. from Tom Graefe (W9668) From: Tom Graefe <tmgraefe@comcast.net> Hi all, Sorry
news. Thanks Margie for letting us know. Many
thoughts and feelings at this moment, and warm recollections.
I’ve
attached a picture of a relaxed moment of companionship on Blue Mist, 2003,
cruising in Maine. Take are all, Tom Graefe |
| Ralph Roberts, international cruiser extraordinaire, checks in: From: Mrrmr [mailto:mrrmr@btinternet.com] Next year’s International rally – No. 33 believe it or not! – is planned for Denmark, where the 2025 Championships is due to happen. So the following year (2026) it would seem time to take the event back to N. America, and wherever the annual Rally is due to be held. (The previous rally in N. America, being the 2022 Florida event). What do you think? Best wishes, Ralph |
