Herbert F. Harrington, Jr

Herbert F. Harrington, Jr., 93, of Fairfield, CT and Sebastian, FL, born March 17, 1931 in Bridgeport, CT to the late Herbert Harrington and Marcella Belle Hamilton Harrington of Fairfield, passed on March 7, 2025. Herb is survived by his five children, Nancy Purcell (Coy) of Narberth, PA, Jill Harrington Nichols of Huntington, CT, Wes J. Harrington (Linda) of Monroe, CT, Marty Harrington of Cortland, NY and John H. Harrington of Stratford, CT, his nine grandchildren, Steve Nichols (Diego) of Ithaca, NY, James Nichols (Laura) of Black Rock, CT, Michael Nichols of Emeryville, CA, Daniel Harrington of Wallingford, CT, Justin Harrington of Milford, CT, Benjamin Luke and Christopher Luke, both of Syracuse, NY, Samuel Harrington and Julia Harrington, both of Stratford, CT, and his two great grandchildren, Forrest and Kieran Nichols, both of Black Rock, CT. He was predeceased by his late wife, Doris Harrington, by only seventeen days and by his sister, Margery Lawson of Fairfield and Ann Arbor, MI. Herb is also survived by Doris’ children: Sandra Parauka (Roger) of Ansonia, CT and David Hassell (Joelle) of Sebastian, FL, her grandchildren, Mark Parauka (Becky), BJ Parauka, both of Ansonia, Alison Byrd of West Haven, CT and two great-grandchildren.

Herb graduated from Roger Ludlowe High School, Fairfield, Class of 1949, where he was the school photographer, and received his B.A. degree at University of Michigan, Class of 1953, on a Navy ROTC scholarship with a major in Political Science. While at Michigan, he served on the support staff of its venerable football team and remains credited as a team member. There, he met his first wife, Lorna Becker of Shaker Heights, Ohio, with whom he had five children. He proudly served in the US Navy for two years on active duty as a deck officer on the fleet oiler USS Chukawan, AO-100, based in Norfolk, VA and deployed to the Mediterranean. He returned to Fairfield and continued to serve in the US Navy Reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander after twenty-two years of service. Upon his return from active duty, he was employed by Sikorsky Aircraft in the purchasing department. Herb recognized an underserved clientele for spare parts and left Sikorsky in 1959 to open a company providing replacement components for rotary wing aircraft, Heliparts, which was then named Rotair Industries, Inc., and now known as Rotair Aerospace Corporation (RAC), in Bridgeport, CT. Herb continued to work on company matters until a week before he passed with his son Wes, and grandsons Daniel and Justin, who will continue to operate the company in his memory. RAC also employs his grandson, Sam, and dozens of people who Herb considered his extended family. Many employees have worked for the company for decades, and Herb supported them individually through their personal challenges and triumphs, employing a deep sense of humanity and generosity. His arduous efforts to fight sole source providers at the Naval Aviation Supply Office was a successful legal battle that resulted in the passage of the Small Business Competition in Contracting Act of 1983, which countless companies and their employees benefit from due to now open competition for Department of Defense contracts. Rotair received a commendation from the DoD for its contributions to the war effort during the Gulf War. The company has donated material and loaned employees to restore historic aircraft and remains a leading provider of helicopter components.

Herb led a life of adventure. He owned a farmhouse in Ludlow, VT for 30 years, where he was an avid snowmobiler. The family spent many weekends and vacations there, playing board games late into the night after a full day on the snow. Herb’s travels took him to all points of the compass, including rafting down the Colorado River, several balloon trips through Europe and an odyssey around the world on National Geographic’s private Boeing 757. For decades, he owned a series of Egg Harbor and Hatteras boats he named ‘Wanderer,’ on which he captained many trips to New England destinations and fireworks displays with family, clients and employees. The Wanderer also served as a tender to tall ships at the 1986 Statue of Liberty Centennial. He also had an uninterrupted series of Formula and Boston Whaler speedboats. He was an avid chef, creating memorable meals and pancake breakfasts. He was also a WWII history enthusiast with an extensive library of books on the conflict.

Active in the community, Herb was a board leader and benefactor of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony for thirty years. The 2025-26 season will be dedicated in honor of Herb’s and his late wife’s significant support of what is today a world-class orchestra. He served on the President’s Council of the Ahlbin Centers for Rehabilitation Medicine, the Advisory Board of Community Health Charities and was a frequent contributor to Near and Far Aid, United Way, Boys and Girl Scouts, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Connecticut Food Bank, Goodwill Industries, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, The Kennedy Center, Music & Arts for the Handicapped, and the Barnum Museum. Most recently, he contributed toward the construction of Thrive, a cancer therapy and wellness center in Trumbull. He was inducted into the Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut Free Enterprise Hall of Fame in 2000, and was awarded the Connecticut Yankee Council of Boy Scouts of America’s Good Scout Award in 2001.

Herb was a member of the American Helicopter Society, Helicopter Association International, Seaview Business Alliance, Fairfield County Hunt Club, Black Rock Yacht Club, Algonquin Club, Rotary Club and Contemporary Club.

Herb’s kindness, generosity, and dedication to family, business, and community will be deeply missed. His legacy will live on through his family, company, and the countless lives he touched throughout his remarkable life.

Visiting hours will be at Spear Miller Funeral Home, 39 S. Benson Road, Fairfield, CT from 2:00pm - 4:00pm on Sunday, March 16. Herb’s funeral service will be held on his birthday, March 17, 10:00am at Trinity Episcopal Church, 651 Pequot Ave, Southport, CT. Interment with military honors will follow at Oak Lawn Cemetery, 1530 Bronson Rd, Fairfield, CT. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, 2385 Park Ave. Bridgeport, CT 06604, https://gbs.org/donate/ or Connecticut Hospice, https://www.hospice.com/honor-memorial-gifts.