Robert Harrington Sr.

Bob Harrington Sr. was the kind of man who could do anything. He was a remarkable man, who lived a remarkable life, a life so full of successes. Bob was a football star, Shriner, a ship’s captain and musician, a hunter and gardener, and a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. Yet more than anything, Bob was a simply a gift to all who knew him.

Bob’s story began on a cold fall day in 1927, in the shoreline city of Holland, Michigan. Those were good days in this country, the twilight of the Roaring 20s, and the calm before the terrible storm of the Great Depression. On December 3, 1927, Irving and Lois (Pickering) Harrington celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Robert.

Bob joined his sister Doris and later brother Harold completed the family’s Holland home, where he was raised with a great interest and passion for many things. He was a Boy Scout during his junior high school years, and was also very musically gifted, as well.

Bob played in the band and the orchestra in school, and excelled at playing the trombone and sax. He even won a scholarship to play at the prestigious Interlochen School of Music in 1945, the summer before his senior year at Holland High School.

As talented as Bob was musically, he was also very athletic, and was blessed with strength and speed. He ran track his junior year, and was a star fullback on the Dutch football team for four years. Wearing his No. 37 jersey, Bob was a standout performer in high school, and even played semi-pro football for the Holland Hurricanes for three years after he graduated.

One Friday night in the fall of 1945, Bob went out with some teammates after his football game, cruising around town in their car. He met a beautiful young girl named Lorraine that night, who was riding around with her friends, too. They talked, hit it off, and met up the next night at a school dance. Before long, the couple was in love.

The very next summer, the young couple was married, on July 12, 1946 in South Bend, Indiana. They were married by the Justice of the Peace at 11 o’clock at night — after having forgotten their marriage license!

The newlyweds drove to Saginaw, Michigan for their honeymoon, before returning home to begin their wonderful life together, settling in Holland. Bob provided for his new bride by working at the Holland Furnace Company, the first of many jobs he held in his hardworking career.

It wasn’t long before Bob and Lorraine became parents, too. The couple was blessed with four fine children over the years, Sharon, Susan, Robert Jr. and Sally, who filled their lives with so much pride and joy. Bob was a wonderful father, who was very involved and active in their lives, from school to sports. Bob even started the Saugatuck Rocket Football League in the 1960s, when Bob Jr. was growing up.

The family did much together when the children were young, especially the many camping trips they spent up north and all across the country. Family was always Bob’s top priority, and he cherished his family time above all.

Bob was an excellent provider for his family, and over the years he worked at Holland Furnace, Lemmon Hatchery, Roamer Boats, River Queen Boat Works, and Harrington Construction Company, before eventually retiring from Broward Marine.

His time around boats gave Bob an appreciation for the crafts, and he even bought one of his own the family enjoyed. He christened the 26-foot beauty “Sweet Lorraine,” and he and his beloved bride spent many summer afternoons aboard the boat, enjoying a picnic. They only took the boat on the Big Lake if it was calm as glass. Lorraine did not like the big waves.

Bob was a man of many talents and interests, and was active in a wide variety of organizations over the years. He was a lifetime member of the Holland Western Saddle Club (he loved to ride horses), and very involved for many years with the Masonic Lodge, too. He even served as a past Grand Master of the Saugatuck Lodge No. 328 in 1975.

Bob was also an integral member of many local bands, keeping his musical talents pitch-perfect over the years. He and Lorraine traveled all over with the Shrine Band for 16 years, and he played trombone with the Holland American Legion Band for 24 years, too. He didn’t stop there, though. He also played with the Saladin Shrine Band, the Grace Gospel Band, and the Note Blenders, a harmonica band at Evergreen Commons. Bob could even yodel!

Bob was also an avid hunter, and loved taking his first grandson Ron with him in the woods, armed with his trusty Montgomery Ward shotgun, bagging bucks with the gun he bought used for $10 bucks. Another longtime friend of Bob’s, was Dr. Jim Connell. Jim is a local Veterinarian who became very good friends with Bob’s family. Bob and Jim often spent hours sharing their hunting stories and experiences.

Bob also enjoyed gardening, and sharing his tips and tricks with others. He enjoyed bowling, and somehow always found time to bowl. And he especially loved to race cars with his son Bob Jr. The father-son duo spent many wonderful weekends racing the No. 46 car at the Kalamazoo Speedway, among many other tracks over the years.

Family was so important to Bob, and every time they got together it was quite a sight. They had huge, memorable get-togethers every holiday. Bob was never happier than surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren, and if any of them ever needed him, he was always there.

Foremost in Bob’s life was always his faith, the bedrock on which Bob’s life was built. He was a longtime member of the Community Church in Douglas, where he thanked the Lord for all his many blessings.

Bob’s beloved wife Lorraine sadly died in September of 2005, after 59 years of marriage. Bob was deeply saddened, but he wasn’t meant to be alone for long. He soon met a wonderful woman named Narda, while at Bible Study in Bravo. They formed a connection, and were married on June 16, 2006.

Bob and Narda meant so much to each other, and he even taught her to play the saxophone with him, so they could play in the Grace Gospel Band together.

Eventually, Bob’s health began to decline. Sadly, he died on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at his home, at the age of 80.

Bob was a remarkable man, who lived a remarkable life, a life so full of family, faith and fond memories. He was a patient, humble, and caring man, a man of great faith and understanding. Bob was so many things to so many people in his lifetime; a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was many things, but more than anything, he was a gift to all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.

Bob is survived by his wife, Narda, his children, Sharon and Ken Vander Molen of Saugatuck, Susan and Evert Dykhuis of Holland, Robert Harrington Jr. and Carol Cannady of Douglas, and Sally and Rochelle Brown of Holland; 6 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; sister-Doris Skinner of Holland, in-laws Sylvia Harrington of Chipley, FL and Michael Telgenhof of Cape Coral, FL; nephews, nieces, and cousins; special friend-Jim Connell of Allegan.

Funeral services will be held at 1 pm Thursday at the Community Church of Douglas, 6780 Wiley Rd., with the Dr. Daniel N. Miller officiating. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or photo of Bob, or to sign the guestbook.