Avis de décès de Patrick Harrington - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

Patrick Harrington, a charismatic and successful basketball coach who turned the Northwest Florida State women's program into a junior college power-house, passed away Oct. 9 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was 51. A devoted father and mentor to scores of players across the country from Boston to Oregon, Harrington was preparing for his fifth season at the Niceville, Fla., college, where he amassed a 100-25 record since his arrival in 2010. Two years ago he led the Lady Raiders to a share of the Panhandle Conference championship and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament for the first time in 18 years. In his last two seasons, Harrington led the Lady Raiders to back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in the highly competitive tournament. Always outgoing and ready to share a laugh, Harrington's enthusiasm for the game and devotion to his student-athletes made him a favorite among the players, and he was highly respected and well-liked all around the college basketball world. A native of Cambridge, Mass., he began his coaching career as an assistant at South Boston High School, where he helped the team win back-to-back Division 1 Massachusetts state titles. He moved up a rung on the coaching ladder as the head coach at Newbury Junior College in Brookline, Mass., in 1996 and led the Knights to the Division II NJCAA tournament in Danville, Ill. He went on to coach at the University of Texas Pan American and Southern Utah University, where the Thunderbirds qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2001 by capturing their first-ever Mid-Continent Conference Championship. He later became an assistant at the University of New Orleans, under former basketball star Monte Towe, and then the assistant coach of the Oregon State women's team. His last job as an assistant was at the University of Colorado, where Harrington helped the Lady Buffaloes reach the WNIT Final Four and a No. 23 ranking before taking over the reins at Northwest Florida State. Patrick Joseph Harrington was born on Dec. 8, 1962, in Boston, the son of Lawrence J. and Janet Harrington. He attended Shady Hill School, the Brooks School in North Andover, Mass., and Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. In 1981, along with dear-friend and former Providence College standout Harold Starks, he helped Brooks School win the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class C Championship. He leaves behind his wife, Lori; their three children, Kelly, Patrick II, and Katherine; his brother and sister-in-law L.J. and Karla Harrington of Sudbury, MA; a brother Lonergan, of Providence, RI; an aunt, Adeline Garvey of Chicago and many, many adoring friends. A celebration of Patrick's life will be held at the Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12. A wake will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at Keefe Funeral Home in Cambridge, Mass., from 4 to 8 p.m. A Mass will be held at St. Peter's Church on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 10 a.m. Patrick will be buried with his parents at Cambridge Cemetery immediately following Mass. You may express condolences to the family and sign the guestbook at www.heritagegardensfuneralhome.com.