Following is the obituary for Margaret Harrington, submitted by her family.

Margaret Phillips Woods Harrington died peacefully in Weston, Connecticut on June 18, 2025, at the age of 94, with her family by her side.

Margaret was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 15, 1930, to Eleanore O’Donoghue Woods and John Edgar Woods.  She spent her childhood in Brookline and Cohasset, Massachusetts before attending Thayer Academy and Georgian Court College.  

In 1952 she joined the editorial staff of the Boston Herald where she worked for several years before marrying Robert Harrington MD, a general practitioner (and later, a psychiatrist) in Scituate in 1955.  She eventually moved to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where she and her husband raised five children with enormous love and generosity.  

Her adult life was spent busily corralling her husband and unruly children and to cultivating the many deeply valued friendships that marked her life.  Her marriage lasted a full and happy 33 years before she was widowed at 57.  

Margaret was quietly brilliant and elegant. She answered Jeopardy questions before the contestants, whizzed through the NYT crossword, and gently redirected her children’s and grandchildren’s grammar when it veered outside the acceptable.  

A spectacular self-taught chef and a connoisseur of the Old Fashioned, as well as other fashions, she presented as well as she spoke. After the death of her husband, she lived independently for 37 years offering her own brand of informed wisdom, encouragement and love to her friends and her family.

Margaret lived the latter years of her life in Westport, Connecticut, near her eldest daughters Meredith and Susan and with the incredible help, patience, and love of her aide Aphelele Pindelo. There she found new neighbors and made new friends, all of whom remarked at how happy they were to know her. She welcomed the many kindnesses others happily gave and cherished the deep friendships and connections she forged all her life. She was particularly happy to gain a new and wonderful friend in Jane Steiger, the niece of her lifelong best chum, Barbara Steiger. Gracious and thankful at every turn, she left others renewed for their visits.  

Margaret was pre-deceased by her husband, Robert D. Harrington, who died at the age of 62. She is survived by her children Robert D. Harrington Jr. of Seattle, Washington (and Anne E. Woolfrey), Meredith W. Harrington (and Jean Raymod Gagne) of Weston, Connecticut, Susan H. Harrington (and Theodore Bohnen) of Weston, Connecticut, Colin J. Harrington (and Susie Johnson Harrington) of Barrington, RI, and Gaelen P. Harrington, of Cambridge, Massachusetts.  She was grandmother to Samuel W. Harrington (and Emmanuel Russo of Bloomfield, New Jersey, Madeline J. Harrington of London, England, Elizabeth A. Harrington (and Matthew Jensen) of San Francisco, California, Natalie Harrington (and Anthony Copraviza) of Aptos California, Robert C. Gagne of Brooklyn, New York, Caroline W.H. Gagne of Brooklyn, New York, Jean R. Gagne of Brooklyn, New York, Emily T. Harrington of Providence, Rhode Island, Joseph D. Harrington of Brooklyn, New York, and Maeve D. Harrington of Boston, Massachusetts – and great-grandmother to Liam Harrington, Oscar Harrington, Grace Copraviza, and Annie Jensen.

A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, June 26 at 11:00 a.m. at St Mary’s Church in Longmeadow Massachusetts.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Thayer Academy.