Obituary of Richard W. Harrington

Rev. Dr. Richard W. Harrington January 19, 1931-May 25, 2016 Richard W. Harrington, ("Dick"), 85, of Honeoye Falls, NY died at the Hurlbut Nursing Home in Rochester, NY on May 25, 2016. He was born in Akron, NY to Lloyd and Ellen Harrington, and was the third of nine children. He was a United Methodist minister, who served churches most recently in New York state, but also in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. He served as Rochester District Superintendent for the Western New York Conference for six years. Dick was a well-loved and highly respected man, whose greatest joys came from sharing his love of God and being with family. He especially loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was always finding ways to entertain them and make them laugh. Dick loved the game of golf, photography, music, woodworking, and college sports, especially "his" Duke Blue Devils. He also loved spending time outdoors, especially at the family property, Charrington Creek Camp, in Cherry Creek, NY. Dick grew up on a farm during the Depression era. He graduated from Wilson Central High School, Wilson, NY in 1949, where he played football as part of a nationally ranked 6 man team and played the baritone horn in the band. He worked in a paper mill and as a carpenter, and served in the U.S. Navy as an aerial photographer during the Korean War. While in Washington, D.C., Dick married Elaine Foy, from Maysville, NC, on December 5th, 1953. They lived in the Buffalo area before moving to Galeton, PA, where Dick attended Mansfield State College, graduating in 1958. Dick served as a student pastor for four area churches there. During that time, their son, Rick, and daughter, Jill were born. The family moved to North Carolina, where Dick served again, as a student pastor for four small churches in Maysville, Belgrade, and Pollocksville. Another son, Jeff, was born during that time. Dick attended the Duke Divinity School, and graduated in 1961. He was an active participant during the Civil Rights movement, and was proud to have marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The family moved back to Western New York, where Dick became Director of Christian Education at Christ Methodist Church, Snyder, NY. The next move was to Brockport, NY, where Dick served his first parish as Senior Pastor at Brockport Methodist Church. In 1965, Dick was asked to become the Overseas Representative for Farmers and World Affairs, Inc., a farm leadership exchange organization of the People-to-People program. His two-year term, from 1965-1967, was served in Egypt (where the family lived), Pakistan, and India. Dick was proud to have had the opportunity to have a private audience with Indira Ghandi, prime minister of India. Upon returning to the United States, Dick was asked to serve as Senior Pastor of Spencer Ripley Methodist Church in Rochester, NY. While he was there, the American Methodist church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church, and Spencer Ripley became known as Covenant United Methodist Church. Dick and his family moved to Tonawanda, NY in 1969, where he was pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church. He led many canoe trips to the Adirondack Mountains, and was fondly known as "The Rev" by the members of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. In 1972, Dick was elected Vice Chairperson of the General Conference to Study the Ministry. He also served as chairperson of the Committee on Ordination of the Commission, which produced the documents on "Ministry of All Christians", and "Guidelines for Diaconal Ministry", and Dick was a primary writer of "The Ordained Ministry", adopted by the General Conference in Portland. Dick was appointed for a six-year term as District Superintendent for the Rochester area United Methodist Churches in 1974. He was one of three United Methodist delegates named to the World Council of Churches, Faith and Order meeting in Accra, Ghana, where he was instrumental in formulating the Faith and Order statement on "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry". During that time, he also attended Drew University in Madison, NJ, earning his Doctor of Divinity degree in 1979. After his term as District Superintendent ended, Dick was asked, for the third time, to return to Christ United Methodist Church in Snyder, NY, this time as Senior Pastor. Following that, he was Senior Pastor of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Lockport, NY. He retired in 1992. During his retirement, Dick worked for the Mediation Center of Rochester, NY. For the past several years, he was a resident at Heather Heights in Pittsford, NY and The Northfield in Fairport, NY. Dick is preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, brother, Roger Harrington, brothers-in-law, Roger Knight and Robert Lasal, and former wife, G. Elaine Foy Harrington. He is survived by: Brothers, Douglas Harrington, Swain, NY, Ronald Harrington, and wife, Patricia, Ventura, CA; Sisters: Janice Lasal, Medina, NY, Beth Knight, Pleasant Hill, TN, Norma O'Brien, Sanborn, NY, Mary Lou Krish, and husband, Don, Medina, OH, Elaine Seymour, and husband, Lee, Emporia, VA. He is also survived by his children, Richard D. Harrington, Naples, NY, Jill M. Gettys, and husband Guy, Clayton, NC, Jeffrey N. Harrington, and wife, Brenda, Honeoye Falls, NY. Grandchildren: Benjamin LeWalter, and wife, Marcy, Trumansburg, NY, Brianna Stojanov, and husband Dimitri, Rochester, NY, Cara Taylor, and husband, James, Clayton, NC, Alicia Gettys, Clayton, NC, Theresa Harrington, Lima, NY, and fiancee, Johnny Fisher, Dane Harrington, and fiancee, Michelle Hoh, Honeoye, NY. Great grandchildren: Filip Stojanov, Rainna Stojanov, Demi Fisher, Hunter Harrington, Kosta Fisher, Scarlett Harrington; as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members who adored him, and will miss him greatly. Visitation will be at Merton H. Kays Funeral Home Inc., 59 Monroe St., Honeoye Falls, NY from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 30th. A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 2 pm at the Fairport United Methodist Church, 31 West Church Street, Fairport, NY 14450. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer's Association (https://act.alz.org).