1933 – 2003

TACOMA, Wash. – Frank Lionel Harrington, 70, born March 23, 1933, in Portland, passed away Sunday, Aug. 31, at Tacoma General Hospital.

He had a passion for aviation, fishing, carpentry, farming and everything about Rosedale, Gig Harbor, Washington, where he had lived for the past 30 years.

He took special pride in his Finnish heritage and his home state of Maine. His aviation career spanned 34 years, beginning with service in the U. S. Air Force where he delivered among other things, a planeload of pigs to hungry soldiers during the Korean War.

He had a long career with Northwest Orient Airlines, now Northwest Airlines, which he began as an airplane mechanic and retired as a Captain flying 747 aircraft throughout the United States and Asia. He was also a pilot briefly for Flying Tigers, New York and World Airways, California.

Upon retirement, he began an excavating business, operating large machinery on the Peninsula for several years.

He is survived by his wife, June and children, Brad Nau, Darci Sweet and her husband Greg, and their daughters, Destany, Alexandra, Gabrielle, and Madeline-Belle, the twins, Alyssa and Edward and his wife Serena Nau; Frank’s daughters, Marla Saxer and her children, Arlo, Michael and Audrey, Yvonne Harrington, Noreen and her husband Tim Wilson and their children, Kristine and Matthew, Kelley Schowalter and her husband Wesley; his son, Mark Harrington and his wife Kim and their daughter, Sophia.

He was much loved and will be missed, especially for his fun and sometimes ribald sense of humor.

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