Robert Harrington

Born June 17, 1926 in Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Kansas, the son of Jobe T. and Pearl E. Hereford Harrington. Father a native and lifetime resident of Bourbon County, Kansas. Mother born in Illinois. Grandfather Joseph Thomas Harrington was Kansas Pioneer arriving and settling in Bourbon County, Kansas the week before Christmas in 1859, also served in Civil War. EDUCATION: Graduate of Bourbon County rural school Crescent District 102, Graduate of Fort Scott High School in 1944 and participated in football, track and vocal music. Graduate of Fort Scott Junior College in 1948 where he was co-editor of the Greyhound-Tiger News and participated in dramatics (selected as the 2002 Fort Scott Community College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year); graduate of Ottawa (Kansas) University with Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and focus in Civic Literacy in 1976; graduate of International Typographical Union education course, participant in several continuing education seminars and workshops. OCCUPATION: Semi-retired Author/Photographer/Journalist, working two days a week as outdoor sports and farm editor at The Miami County Publishing Co. in Paola, Kansas (Purchased Oct. 1, 2004 by the News Press Gazette media group of St. Joseph, Mo.), where he has worked in all phases of newspaper publishing since May 1949 and was corporation vice president for many years. Also worked on newspapers in Forest Grove, Oregon and Stilwater, Oklahoma. He has had columns, photographs and stories printed in books and national periodicals. MARRIED: Wife: Marilyn Marie Adamson Harrington, native of Bourbon County, Kansas, a graduate of Uniontown (Kansas) High School. They are the parents of three adult children who are married; one Pamela Sue Harrington-Hennigh, the eldest, of Centerville, Kansas, is a graduate of Fort Scott Community College (attended Pittsburg State University). She is married to R. Lonie Hennigh who is employed by the Shawnee School district in Lenexa. They have two children, a son, Jason, former Marine and now in Boilermakers Union, married to Carolyn with one son, Tyler Robert Hennigh; and one daughter Amber; and one daughter, Holly, who is a 2003 graduate of Fort Scott Community College and a 2006 graduate of Pittsburg State University at Pittsburg, Kansas (married to Danny Lynn Blanchard on Sept. 3, 2005 with Grandfather Robert W. Harrington officiating). They have one son Wyatt E. Blanchard, 13 mo. Sheila Marie Harrington-Wilson is the middle daughter and is a nurse (attended Pittsburg State University). Her husband is Jake Wilson former Paola High School and Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, football player and now works at Spring Hill, Kansas Flat Glass. They have two boys, Philip Wenger and Chance Wilson. Philip graduated from Paola High School in 2004 and attended one semester at Ottawa University that fall. Chance is a senior at Paola High School; and the youngest daughter, Jana T. Harrington-Barcus is an Equine Field Specialist and her and her husband, Bill Barcus own Barcus Construction They have one son, Billy Lane, 10. Both Wilson and Barcus families live in rural Paola, Kansas. Pamela and Sheila were Job"s Daughters. He is also survived by 3 sisters; Vivian Whitt of Oklahoma and Dorothy Hunter of Overland Park and Jeanne McLaughlin of Pittsburg, KS and numerous nieces and nephews. CHURCH AFFILIATION: Devon (Kansas) United Methodist Church since 1937. Ordained Clergyman in the Church of Spiritual Humanism in Pennsylvania in July 2005 to perform granddaughter Holly Hennigh"s wedding to Danny Blanchard on Sept. 3, 2005. Ordained as a Reverend by the Universal Life Church of Modesto, Calif. on Jan. 12, 2006. VETERAN: Served as tail gunner on a B-29 in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II (enlisted December 1943, honorable discharge August 1946). Life member of Miami Post 156 American Legion and Past Commander, presently serving as Chaplain, and American Legion Post Boys State committee chairman, and previously served on Second Legion District Boys State committee and public relations committee. SERVICE CLUB: Member of Paola Rotary Club with perfect attendance record since joining in April 1968, served as Director, Vice President, President and Secretary; recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship. OTHER MEMBERSHIPS, RECOGNITIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Member of the Paola Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Club since its inception, serves as greeter and on membership committee. Served on the Paola City Planning Commission (1999-2000). Kansas Hunter Education Instructor since its inception in 1973; is presently Miami County Area Coordinator for Hunter Education courses. Donates more than 100 hours yearly to teaching safe gun handling and hunter ethics. Recipient of five Buffalo Awards as an outstanding Hunter Education instructor. Civilian recipient of the Kansas National Guard 127th Field Artillery First Battalion Saint Barbara (Patroness Saint of the Artillery) Award on Oct. 27, 1990, and recipient of the Kansas Adjutant General"s Distinguished Service Award. Unit representative of the Kansas Employer Support of Guard and Reserve for Paola/Burlington National Guard Unit (appointed 2001), now (appointed 2002) Kansas Region 8 Chairman/Ombudsman (December 2003) of ESGR. Received the Presidential Award for Volunteer Work with ESGR. Inducted into the Paola High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He is an Honorary Paola High School FFA Chapter Farmer. He collects and repairs fishing reels, rods, fishing lures and assorted equipment to give to youths and indigent adults, and has donated a collection of fishing rods, reels, lures and miscellany to the Miami County Historical Society and Paola Swan River Museum. Has administered two memorials related to giving away scholarships, awards for fishing derbies and trophies for 4-H shooting sports and for needs of Hunter Education. Recipient of the Soil Conservation Service Earth Team designation, and has received several other Natural Resources Conservation Service Awards. Served on the Miami County Extension Executive Council (2000-2002) and Miami County Emergency Preparedness Committees. Was secretary of the Kansas Sixth Judicial District (Bourbon, Linn and Miami counties) Judges Selection Committee from its inception to March 2006. Member of Miami County Historical and Genealogy Societies, and Old Fort Genealogy Society (Fort Scott). Recipient of Kansas Wildlife Federation Conservation Communicator Award (1985). Coordinator of several National Hunting and Fishing Days in Paola that attracted crowds estimated up to 10,000 visitors for one-day events. Former Boy Scout merit badge counselor. Former Ambassador of the Kansas City American Royal, and is still active as an American Royal Certified Barbecue Judge for more than 15 years. Also barbecue judge for the Great American Barbecue started in 2005. Elected and served several years as Paola, Kansas First Ward Republican committeeman. Paola Park Square Service: Friday, November 13, 2009 12:00 PM Visitation: No Visitation