A Celebration of Life will be held for Thomas B. Harrington on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Meadow Ridge Auditorium, (100 Redding Rd., Redding). Anyone wishing to attend can RSVP via email.
Thomas Barth Harrington, 93, passed away peacefully on Aug. 18, 2025 at the Danbury Regional Hospice in Danbury, where he was cared for lovingly.
Son of Louise and Frank Harrington, he was born Nov. 14, 1931, in Worcester, MA. He grew up playing sports, especially tennis, to which his mother introduced him. Following in the footsteps of his father and older brother, he attended Dartmouth College where he played soccer and tennis, and studied business, graduating in 1954.
After college, from August 1954, he served on active duty as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. While on leave in England to see family, he met Margaret E. Taube, who, as fate would have it, happened to be on the same European tour as his mother and younger brother. Upon his return to the states, Margaret and Tom courted and then married in 1957. They settled in Wilton, where they built a home and raised their family. He had a long and productive career at the Burndy Engineering Company in Norwalk.
Tom and Margaret had four children — Louisa, Thomas Jr., Jonathan and Deborah. He was an attentive and loving father and role model who exemplified integrity and honesty. He spent countless hours playing with and teaching sports and sailing to his children, while also making time to compete in and win many tennis and paddle tennis tournaments, and to serve as president of the Wilton Riding Club. The friendships he made through sports and other activities were enduring.
While both went on to have other partners, Tom and Margaret stayed in close touch and remained friends throughout their lives. In his middle years, Tom had a long and loving relationship with the late Mary Lou Hughes (d. 2015).
Tom is survived by his son, Thomas Jr.; daughter in law, Carol Rose; two daughters, Louisa O’Neill and Deborah Conoscente; six grandchildren; his former spouse, Margaret Harper; and his brother George Harrington, and sister-in-law, Diantha Harrington. He is predeceased by his brother, Frank Harrington Jr.; sister, Roxanne Stevenson; mother and father; his loving partner, Mary Lou Hughes; and his son, Jonathan.
He will be remembered for his smile and sense of humor, his fairness and integrity, his passion and prowess at any sport involving a racquet, his iron grip, his sweet tooth, his civic volunteering and his genuine friendships and kindness to all.
The family asks that gifts in remembrance be made to the Danbury Regional Hospice online and choosing “Fund our Mission” and in honor of Thomas Harrington.
