Anne Rowan Harrington

Anne Rowan Harrington, 91, entered eternal rest on May 12, 2017, surrounded by her loving family.  A beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, she made the world a more cheerful place with her optimism and kindness.

Born in New York City, the youngest child of Irish immigrants Susan Collins Rowan and John Rowan, Anne was the first in her family to attend college. She graduated from Mount Saint Vincent in 1947 and went to work for Caltech Oil, eventually becoming executive assistant to the president.  In 1960, her long friendship with Robert Harrington blossomed into romance. They married a year later, eventually having two children, Susan and Colleen.  She returned to work as the assistant to the director of Pupil Personnel Services in the Long Beach schools.  Anne was active in her community, serving as a school volunteer and Girl Scout leader. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America and the Altar Rosary Society and remained active in her parish to the end.   A loving daughter herself, Anne cared for her mother and mother-in-law, modeling selfless love and compassion.   Anne and Bob’s companionship and love were a gift to everyone around them. She created networks of dear friends in New York and in Florida, participating in bowling leagues, bridge groups, and golf outings throughout her life.  "Nana" especially delighted in the company of her grandchildren.  She will be remembered as a woman of faith whose love of family suffused everything she did.

Anne is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Robert L. Harrington; daughters Susan Harrington and Colleen Cummings and their spouses Ellen Andersen and Doug Cummings; grandchildren Isabel, Julia, and Sofia, and many nieces and nephews.

Her family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 16th from 5-7 PM at the Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main St., East Longmeadow. Her Funeral will begin on Wednesday, May 17th at 11 AM from the funeral home followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 12 Noon at St. Michael’s Church, East Longmeadow. Burial will follow at 2 PM in the Chapel of the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Agawam.

Anne’s family would like to thank the staff at East Village Place and the Baystate Noble Hospice nurses for their loving and compassionate care.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund.

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