Son of Robert Elliott Harrington and Ethel Mary Ross.
Retired surgeon Robert Weldon Harrington M.D. died at 89 on July 8 in Auburn, California, where his nightly piano performances for fellow seniors living at Emerald Hills practically made him a super star at the assisted living center. But “Bob” Harrington was always a standout, especially during his 38-year medical career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Born December 10, 1919 in Oxnard, California, Bob grew up on his parents’ Simi Valley ranch with two older brothers, Arthur and Ross, and younger sister Bethel, helping in the fruit orchards and milking cows at the Harrington Home Dairy. As one of the first families to settle there, the Harringtons were leaders in the community, founding the Harrington Home for Homeless Boys and caring for youngsters who had family problems or no parents. Bob and his siblings were instrumental in making the boys feel part of the Harrington clan, a family that stressed the importance of hard work, education, and giving back to society.
Valedictorian of a class of three, Bob graduated in 1936 from Simi Valley High School and then attended the University of Redlands, where he excelled academically and played piano and trumpet in a band with John Raitt who later became a big Broadway star.
After graduation in 1941, Bob attended medical school at the University of Southern California and received his M.D. degree in January 1945. While doing his internship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Bob met and fell in love with the spunky Priscilla “Percy” Greenfield, who was studying to be a nurse.
When he was called to active duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Bob married Percy in November 1945 and served as a captain in the Army until 1947. Then with baby son David, who’d been born at Camp Lee, Virginia (now known as Fort Lee) in 1946, Bob and Percy moved to Los Angeles for his surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where their daughters Gail and Janet were born in 1950 and 1951.
After receiving his board certification as a surgeon in 1954, Bob went on to become one of the most beloved and respected doctors at St. Vincent’s, serving as both chief of surgery and president of the medical staff. He retired in 1985.
Bob was preceded in death by Percy in 1999, and is survived by his children, David Weldon Harrington, Gail Patricia Harrington, and Janet Harrington Debber; his sister, Beth Rohwer; seven nieces and nephews; six grandchildren (Britany Allison Dawers, Anthony Weldon Harrington, Danika Blythe Gould, Brian Alexander Harrington, J Clay Debber, and Jaye Whitney Debber); daughter-in-law Evadelia Trevino Harrington and son-in-law J Dale Debber; plus two great grandchildren, Jay Sanjin Harrington and Chloe Stella Gould.
While he was a gifted surgeon who found great satisfaction in his medical career, Bob was also a talented musician. Sing-alongs at the Harrington home brought a lot of joy to family and friends lucky enough to take part in these impromptu gatherings. Even though Bob couldn’t read a note of music, he somehow was able to play any tune requested, even after Alzheimer’s had cruelly stolen his memory. The last song request Bob performed was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
A private service for family members took place Wednesday July 15 at Sierra Memorial Lawn in Nevada City, California.
Retired surgeon Robert Weldon Harrington M.D. died at 89 on July 8 in Auburn, California, where his nightly piano performances for fellow seniors living at Emerald Hills practically made him a super star at the assisted living center. But “Bob” Harrington was always a standout, especially during his 38-year medical career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Born December 10, 1919 in Oxnard, California, Bob grew up on his parents’ Simi Valley ranch with two older brothers, Arthur and Ross, and younger sister Bethel, helping in the fruit orchards and milking cows at the Harrington Home Dairy. As one of the first families to settle there, the Harringtons were leaders in the community, founding the Harrington Home for Homeless Boys and caring for youngsters who had family problems or no parents. Bob and his siblings were instrumental in making the boys feel part of the Harrington clan, a family that stressed the importance of hard work, education, and giving back to society.
Valedictorian of a class of three, Bob graduated in 1936 from Simi Valley High School and then attended the University of Redlands, where he excelled academically and played piano and trumpet in a band with John Raitt who later became a big Broadway star.
After graduation in 1941, Bob attended medical school at the University of Southern California and received his M.D. degree in January 1945. While doing his internship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Bob met and fell in love with the spunky Priscilla “Percy” Greenfield, who was studying to be a nurse.
When he was called to active duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Bob married Percy in November 1945 and served as a captain in the Army until 1947. Then with baby son David, who’d been born at Camp Lee, Virginia (now known as Fort Lee) in 1946, Bob and Percy moved to Los Angeles for his surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where their daughters Gail and Janet were born in 1950 and 1951.
After receiving his board certification as a surgeon in 1954, Bob went on to become one of the most beloved and respected doctors at St. Vincent’s, serving as both chief of surgery and president of the medical staff. He retired in 1985.
Bob was preceded in death by Percy in 1999, and is survived by his children, David Weldon Harrington, Gail Patricia Harrington, and Janet Harrington Debber; his sister, Beth Rohwer; seven nieces and nephews; six grandchildren (Britany Allison Dawers, Anthony Weldon Harrington, Danika Blythe Gould, Brian Alexander Harrington, J Clay Debber, and Jaye Whitney Debber); daughter-in-law Evadelia Trevino Harrington and son-in-law J Dale Debber; plus two great grandchildren, Jay Sanjin Harrington and Chloe Stella Gould.
While he was a gifted surgeon who found great satisfaction in his medical career, Bob was also a talented musician. Sing-alongs at the Harrington home brought a lot of joy to family and friends lucky enough to take part in these impromptu gatherings. Even though Bob couldn’t read a note of music, he somehow was able to play any tune requested, even after Alzheimer’s had cruelly stolen his memory. The last song request Bob performed was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
A private service for family members took place Wednesday July 15 at Sierra Memorial Lawn in Nevada City, California.
Son of Robert Elliott Harrington and Ethel Mary Ross.
Retired surgeon Robert Weldon Harrington M.D. died at 89 on July 8 in Auburn, California, where his nightly piano performances for fellow seniors living at Emerald Hills practically made him a super star at the assisted living center. But “Bob” Harrington was always a standout, especially during his 38-year medical career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Born December 10, 1919 in Oxnard, California, Bob grew up on his parents’ Simi Valley ranch with two older brothers, Arthur and Ross, and younger sister Bethel, helping in the fruit orchards and milking cows at the Harrington Home Dairy. As one of the first families to settle there, the Harringtons were leaders in the community, founding the Harrington Home for Homeless Boys and caring for youngsters who had family problems or no parents. Bob and his siblings were instrumental in making the boys feel part of the Harrington clan, a family that stressed the importance of hard work, education, and giving back to society.
Valedictorian of a class of three, Bob graduated in 1936 from Simi Valley High School and then attended the University of Redlands, where he excelled academically and played piano and trumpet in a band with John Raitt who later became a big Broadway star.
After graduation in 1941, Bob attended medical school at the University of Southern California and received his M.D. degree in January 1945. While doing his internship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Bob met and fell in love with the spunky Priscilla “Percy” Greenfield, who was studying to be a nurse.
When he was called to active duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Bob married Percy in November 1945 and served as a captain in the Army until 1947. Then with baby son David, who’d been born at Camp Lee, Virginia (now known as Fort Lee) in 1946, Bob and Percy moved to Los Angeles for his surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where their daughters Gail and Janet were born in 1950 and 1951.
After receiving his board certification as a surgeon in 1954, Bob went on to become one of the most beloved and respected doctors at St. Vincent’s, serving as both chief of surgery and president of the medical staff. He retired in 1985.
Bob was preceded in death by Percy in 1999, and is survived by his children, David Weldon Harrington, Gail Patricia Harrington, and Janet Harrington Debber; his sister, Beth Rohwer; seven nieces and nephews; six grandchildren (Britany Allison Dawers, Anthony Weldon Harrington, Danika Blythe Gould, Brian Alexander Harrington, J Clay Debber, and Jaye Whitney Debber); daughter-in-law Evadelia Trevino Harrington and son-in-law J Dale Debber; plus two great grandchildren, Jay Sanjin Harrington and Chloe Stella Gould.
While he was a gifted surgeon who found great satisfaction in his medical career, Bob was also a talented musician. Sing-alongs at the Harrington home brought a lot of joy to family and friends lucky enough to take part in these impromptu gatherings. Even though Bob couldn’t read a note of music, he somehow was able to play any tune requested, even after Alzheimer’s had cruelly stolen his memory. The last song request Bob performed was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
A private service for family members took place Wednesday July 15 at Sierra Memorial Lawn in Nevada City, California.
Retired surgeon Robert Weldon Harrington M.D. died at 89 on July 8 in Auburn, California, where his nightly piano performances for fellow seniors living at Emerald Hills practically made him a super star at the assisted living center. But “Bob” Harrington was always a standout, especially during his 38-year medical career at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Born December 10, 1919 in Oxnard, California, Bob grew up on his parents’ Simi Valley ranch with two older brothers, Arthur and Ross, and younger sister Bethel, helping in the fruit orchards and milking cows at the Harrington Home Dairy. As one of the first families to settle there, the Harringtons were leaders in the community, founding the Harrington Home for Homeless Boys and caring for youngsters who had family problems or no parents. Bob and his siblings were instrumental in making the boys feel part of the Harrington clan, a family that stressed the importance of hard work, education, and giving back to society.
Valedictorian of a class of three, Bob graduated in 1936 from Simi Valley High School and then attended the University of Redlands, where he excelled academically and played piano and trumpet in a band with John Raitt who later became a big Broadway star.
After graduation in 1941, Bob attended medical school at the University of Southern California and received his M.D. degree in January 1945. While doing his internship at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Bob met and fell in love with the spunky Priscilla “Percy” Greenfield, who was studying to be a nurse.
When he was called to active duty in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Bob married Percy in November 1945 and served as a captain in the Army until 1947. Then with baby son David, who’d been born at Camp Lee, Virginia (now known as Fort Lee) in 1946, Bob and Percy moved to Los Angeles for his surgical residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where their daughters Gail and Janet were born in 1950 and 1951.
After receiving his board certification as a surgeon in 1954, Bob went on to become one of the most beloved and respected doctors at St. Vincent’s, serving as both chief of surgery and president of the medical staff. He retired in 1985.
Bob was preceded in death by Percy in 1999, and is survived by his children, David Weldon Harrington, Gail Patricia Harrington, and Janet Harrington Debber; his sister, Beth Rohwer; seven nieces and nephews; six grandchildren (Britany Allison Dawers, Anthony Weldon Harrington, Danika Blythe Gould, Brian Alexander Harrington, J Clay Debber, and Jaye Whitney Debber); daughter-in-law Evadelia Trevino Harrington and son-in-law J Dale Debber; plus two great grandchildren, Jay Sanjin Harrington and Chloe Stella Gould.
While he was a gifted surgeon who found great satisfaction in his medical career, Bob was also a talented musician. Sing-alongs at the Harrington home brought a lot of joy to family and friends lucky enough to take part in these impromptu gatherings. Even though Bob couldn’t read a note of music, he somehow was able to play any tune requested, even after Alzheimer’s had cruelly stolen his memory. The last song request Bob performed was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
A private service for family members took place Wednesday July 15 at Sierra Memorial Lawn in Nevada City, California.
Inscription
Robert Weldon
Harrington, M.D.
"Dr. Bob"
Beloved Husband, Father & Grandfather
Dec. 10, 1919 - July 8, 2009
In Our Hearts Forever
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
