Nancy Harrington, an ardent advocate for domestic violence victims in Montgomery County, was a visionary who lived to help others in need, said her friends and colleagues.
The founder of the Montgomery County Women's Center, a refuge for abused women and their children, died Sept. 8 in a car accident near Galveston. She was 56.
A memorial service was held two weeks ago in her home state of Arkansas. Another service, organized by friends, is planned for Oct. 8 at the Northwood Unitarian Universalist Church in The Woodlands.
Harrington started the center at a time when domestic violence wasn't openly discussed and victims had few places to turn for help. During her 22 years as executive director, she developed a thriving shelter with counseling services. More than 800 women and children stay at the shelter each year.
Legal tenacity
Montgomery County state District Judge Kathleen Hamilton remembers Harrington's tenacity in seeking legal protection for victims. As first assistant county attorney, Hamilton worked closely with Harrington as she prosecuted the county's first protective orders in 1987. A decade later, Harrington would hire Hamilton as an attorney for the center.
"It was the first center to have an attorney on staff, instead of relying on pro bono help or volunteers," Hamilton said. "It was her dream to have an attorney on board. We had three, at one time, and it was all through grants she wrote. She put action behind every word she uttered about domestic violence."
Harrington, who never married, believed in building bridges for women. She had a vision for low-income housing to help domestic violence survivors gain independence. Two years ago, the women's center opened Reaching Pines, a transitional housing complex in Conroe.
Worked long hours
Harrington also formed the Montgomery County chapter of the National Organization for Women in the early '80s. The grouped worked on the Equal Rights Amendment, said friend and former NOW member Debbie Bell. Harrington believed in social justice and equality for everybody, and devoted long hours time to helping others despite her health problems, Bell said. She served on several state association boards and often lobbied for legislation, friends said.
"There was never a time when Nancy wasn't advocating for someone or something," she said. "She was a real treasure, and someone I was proud to know."
Harrington left the women's center to become executive director of The Friendship Center, an agency that provides services for seniors in Montgomery County. While there, she helped the agency retire its debt and added services, friends said.
She was just as compassionate about animals as she was about people. She owned three dogs and four cats and often cared for strays. She grew up on a farm, where she developed an empathy for animals, said her younger brother, Timothy Harrington.
"She was always a quiet dreamer, always an advocate for the underdog," he said. "The world seemed to be a harsh place to her and she seemed like she could feel things stronger than the rest of us. She was a special woman."
She doted on her nieces and nephews, bringing them gifts when she visited, and never forgot a birthday, her brother said.
Awards, action
Harrington received many awards, including the Federation of Houston Professional Women Lifetime Achievement Award and the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Champion for Social Change. Also, the women's center named a scholarship in her honor. But her work was more important to her than the accolades, said friend Sandra Whiteker. She chose to decorate her office with artwork instead of plaques, she said.
In late 2010, Harrington left the Conroe area and moved to Galveston, where she always wanted to live, her friends said. She liked the peacefulness of the ocean, Whiteker said. She quickly connected with three nonprofits, helping them with grant writing and development, she said.
Harrington was born in Siloam Springs, Ark., but lived most of life in Texas. She graduated from Arkansas State University and earned a degree in journalism. She loved poetry and writing.
She is survived by her brother, Timothy Ray Harrington, and his wife, Tracey, of Decatur, Ark.; three nephews and two nieces.
The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday at 2:30 p.m., at the Northwood Unitarian Universalist Church, 1370 North Millbend Dr., The Woodlands.
For more information, contact Donna Wick at donnawick1@gmail.com.
renee.lee@chron.com
No comments:
Post a Comment