Helen (Hills) Harrington

Service Update:   

The time has arrived for the Harrington family, close friends, acquaintances and the community of Middlefield to say our goodbyes to Helen Harrington. 

Helen was a beloved lady that touched the hearts of all those who knew her.  Please come and join us as we honor and remember her.
Helen, will be laid to rest, Saturday, August 23, 2025  at the Middlefield Cemetery.
The Graveside service will begin at 10:00 am. 

Helen Hills Harrington 96 of Middlefield, Ohio, lived an extraordinary life! Sadly, on the morning of November 22, 2024, Helen fell asleep in death at her residence, Briar Cliff Assisted Living. 
 
Helen was born September 20, 1928, in Ashtabula, Ohio, the third child of Nelson and Lyda (Reynolds) Hills. 
Orphaned at 10 years of age, by a tragic auto accident, Helen’s biological family, brothers Nelson, Eddie and sister Joanne (Morris) were split up.   
Helen was taken in and loved by Walter and Lenore Farmwald and their two daughters Barbara (Henderson) and Virginia (Davis) These “sisters” remained very close, all lived nearby in Middlefield their whole lives, even vacationed together, Geneva on the Lake in summer and Florida in the winter. 
Joanne (only 3 years old when their parents were killed) was adopted by non-family, yet Helen never missed her Birthday and was at Joanne’s side when she passed away, in 2006. 
Helen vowed they would remain close and credit to Helen’s strong commitment to family, they did. 
 
At 13 years of age, Helen was captivated by the charming young Richard Harrington. Her diary entry after their first meeting reads;  
“I just met the man I am going to marry,” 
True to her words on September 10, 1950, at the age of 22,  
Helen married Richard Charles Harrington. (Charles and Lena Harrington) 
Helen with Richard enjoyed a full and wonderful life, until Richard’s death, in 2023.  They traveled the world, danced the night away, helped the less fortunate, raised four children and changed the landscape of Middlefield. 
Helen was more than the beautiful blonde at Richard’s side. 
She was the strength. The women “behind the successful man.” 
 
Helen was devoted to family, yet she made time for the less fortunate and was very committed to many charitable causes, 
The March of Dimes, Shriners Hospital, and the Annual Snowball dance were among some of them.  
Helen was also a beloved and dedicated Girl Scout Leader. 
She made it all look effortless; she was genuinely a very loving and generous human being, who made everyone feel like family. 
 
Family was most important to Helen and with Richard, they created an idealistic childhood for their four children: 
Paula Stanton 
David Harrington  
Ruth Womack 
Vicki McCalmont 
She loved and cherished them all. 
 
Helen, “Gram” was loved and adored by her seven Grandchildren:  
Alexander Stanton (Paula), Caitlynne and Evelynn Harrington (David) Cait Womack, Leha Rizzo and Ian Womack (Ruth), Michelle McWhorter (Vicki), ten Great Grandchildren and one Great Great Granddaughter. 
 
Even though Helen lived an extraordinary life and enjoyed much, she experienced tragedy both early in her life and near the end of her life, losing her husband of 73 years, Richard in February 2023, her only son David in April of 2024 and her youngest daughter Vicki five months later in September 2024.  As Helen always did, she endured, always gracious, always concerned about others.   Those losses took a toll.    
Helen died just two months after losing Vicki, but she loved to the end. 
 
Helen Hills Harrington will be remembered by her family and community alike as a genuine, generous soul, kindhearted and inclusive.  
 
A Graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, August 23, 2025, Middlefield Cemetery.  

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen (Hills) Harrington, please visit our floral store.