Mary Virginia Nelson Harrington

Mary Virginia Nelson Harrington, 90, passed away Thursday, December 25, 2014 in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was born July 13, 1924 in Yolande, Alabama, the eldest daughter of Roy Herman and Kate Otts Nelson. In addition to her parents and her older brothers, Roy Nelson Jr. and Dan Nelson, she was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Hollis Harrington who died in 2012. She met Hollis in 1941 during their senior year at Sheridan High School. and were married October 28, 1942. In their early married years, they lived in Los Angeles where she helped with the war effort as a welder in an airplane factory. After Hollis' military service in New Jersey and Virginia, they returned to Arkansas in 1947, where she was a stay-at-home Mom, raising three sons in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1960, the family moved and built a new home on family property in Sheridan. In the early sixties, she worked for Allied Telephone and at the Grant County Courthouse as a deputy clerk in the county clerk's office and later as secretary and administrative assistant to the County Judge. In the 1970's she worked at Grant County Savings and Loan in several positions and was the first branch manager at the East End Branch. She took an avid interest in the community in helping adults learn to read and was a board member of the Grant County Museum. She was one of the original volunteers at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock and was a lifelong Democrat. Virginia's life was always filled with music, playing piano at home or the piano and organ at church. She was the organist for the Rainbow Wranglers, a country and western band which played at local events. She was an active musician up until her death having recently played the piano at Sheridan Nursing Home's Thanksgiving service with a group from Crown Point Assisted Living Center where she resided. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Sheridan. Survivors include her three sons, Phil Harrington and wife Karen of Las Cruces, New Mexico; Mike Harrington and wife Gail of Sheridan, Arkansas; and Scott Harrington and wife Teresa of Billings, Montana; her six grandsons, Phil Harrington II and wife Laura of Murphy, Texas; Richie Harrington and wife Heather of Plano, Texas; Jim Harrington and wife Michelle of Little Rock, Arkansas; Stuart Harrington and wife Randi of Memphis, Tennessee; Grant Harrington of Billings, Montana and Todd Harrington of Walla Walla, Washington. Her great-grandchildren are Kate Harrington of Murphy, Texas and Miles Harrington and Juliet Harrington of Memphis, Tennessee. Other survivors are her brother James Nelson of Dallas, Texas, and her sisters, Dorothy Gartman of Monticello, Arkansas and Carolyn Henson of Sheridan. Visitation will be at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home Chapel on Sunday, December 28 from 12 noon until 2 p.m. A graveside service will be at Sheridan Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. Pallbearers will be her six grandsons. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to First Baptist Church of Sheridan or to the Grant County Museum. Arrangements by Memorial Gardens Funeral Home of Sheridan (870) 942-1306. To sign the online guestbook, www.memorialgardenssheridan.com.