Nancy June Harrington
Nancy June (Krabbe) Harrington, 87, of Santa Barbara, California passed away peacefully on March 31, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.
Born on April 24, 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin she was the daughter of the late Herman Joseph and Agnes Rose (Zavitski) Krabbe. Nancy was predeceased by her husband of 40 years, Thomas Earl Harrington who died August 25,1997.
Nancy is also predeceased by her two sisters and brother, Mary Christine (Baivier) Haughtelin, Audrey Agnes (Baivier) McQuestion and William Irvin Baivier. Nancy is survived by her six children, their spouses and her six grandchildren: Thomas Joseph and Nina (Wyatt) Harrington and their children Brian Charles, Erin Rose and Marcine Elizabeth Rae of South Burlington, Vermont; Michael Patrick and Kerry (Weisgerber) Harrington and their daughter Olivia Cailin of Santa Barbara; Steven James Harrington of Santa Barbara; Daniel John Harrington of Santa Barbara; MaryAnn (Harrington) Duffy and her children James Thomas and Cailin Rose of Southold, New York; Christopher Earl Harrington Pryor and son-in-law, Jacques F. Harrington Pryor of Santa Barbara. She also leaves behind her god-daughter Erin M. McQuestion, her brother-in-law, Michael J. Harrington, and sisters-in-law, Sr. Ann Harrington, BVM (St. Remi) and Marion “PeeWee” Harrington, as well as an extended Wisconsin family of nieces and nephews and friends.
From a young age, Nancy enjoyed travel and adventure. In 1952 after graduating from Shorewood High School in Wisconsin Nancy worked as ranch hand for a summer in Durango, Colorado where she developed an avid interest in horseback riding. Later that year she returned home and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to Marquette University. In September 1954, Nancy and her dear friend Didi Mancheski traveled south for an adventure that lasted nearly two years. It began in Mexico where they attended Mexico City College before moving to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Nancy was employed by a local bottled gas company and spent free time learning Calypso dance, sailing to nearby islands and exploring local dive sites. After departing St. Thomas and after a six-week sojourn in Puerto Rico, Nancy returned to Wisconsin where she met her future husband, Thomas E. Harrington.
In September 1957, Nancy and Tom married. Nancy’s life became happily centered around family and it was her culinary skills combined with an insistence on regular family dinners that were formative in developing the bond her family now shares. Nancy and Tom relocated from Wisconsin to California in 1973 when Tom was transferred along with his best friend, Tom Sebastian and other Milwaukee Delco Electronics employees. Nancy chose a home nestled in the foothills of Santa Barbara where they embraced the Southern California lifestyle and where Nancy became enamored of Southwest art and architecture. In 1990, the home was lost in the Santa Barbara fire, but Nancy, with her new-found passion, designed a showcase Pueblo-style residence that was built by her sons. To furnish the house, Nancy and Tom traveled to Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico to purchase traditional southwestern-style fixtures, handcrafted ceramic tiles, metal and art work. Nancy decorated flawlessly creating a unique and elegant home, both comfortable and welcoming. She derived great pleasure from hosting family, friends and neighbors and was happiest engaged in lively conversation, heart-felt laughter and raucous joy, moments that are among the fondest memories her children hold.
After her children were grown Nancy worked for Pacific Coast Airlines and thus began to travel frequently, often with her children. With a talent for writing, Nancy became a regular contributor to the airline’s in-flight magazine. Nancy also enjoyed knitting and gifting gorgeous sweaters, blankets and even coats to friends and family. She was an avid reader and loved to study finance, investing and real-estate.
In her final ten years, she was cared for by her son Dan whose kindness and humor provided companionship and comfort until her death. The family wishes to thank Nancy’s beloved childhood friend, Didi Mancheski of Darien, CT, for her love and support, Nancy’s caregivers, especially Jacques Harrington Pryor and Karen Vargas who for the last eight years managed Nancy’s care with patience, kindness and compassion, the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital emergency room staff and MICU doctors and nursing staff for their professional expertise delivered with empathetic concern for Nancy’s well-being. A celebration of her life will take place in the summer.