In Memory of
Michael X. Harrington
September 7,
1931 - February 25, 2021
Obituary
Michael X.
Harrington, 89, passed away on February 25, 2021 in
Westfield.
Born in Jersey City,
he grew up in Bayonne and moved to Cranford in 1972. A
mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Michael’s
Church in Cranford on Tuesday, March 2 at 10:00 a.m.,
and following the service, he will be interred in Holy
Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
“Mike,” as he was
known to his friends, had a long and distinguished
career protecting and serving the public. He enlisted in
the U.S. Air Force in 1950, eventually attaining the
rank of sergeant. After his military service, he joined
the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police
Department and rose to the rank of captain. At one time,
he was commanding officer for both the Holland and
Lincoln Tunnels, as well as the George Washington
Bridge. Retiring in 1998, he served for 43 years and
never missed a day of work. He was popular with the
police officers under his command, and was known as a
“cop’s cop”.
Mike was dedicated to
his faith, family and community. He was a parishioner of
St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church for over 48 years.
He and his beloved wife, Eileen, were fixtures at the
Sunday 9:00 a.m. mass. Anyone who attended that mass
knew “their pew” and would stop to say hello. Mike was
also a member of the Knights of Columbus and served on
many township committees and worked with local
organizations over the years. Most notably, he was
president of the Cranford Baseball League. During his
retirement, Mike resumed painting and became an
accomplished watercolorist. When he wasn’t painting,
Mike loved spending time with his family, especially his
grandchildren, John, Grace, Emily, Luke, and James.
Capt. Harrington is also a graduate of Adelphi
University and received a master’s degree from
Northwestern University.
He is predeceased by
Eileen D. Harrington, née Hilla, whom he married in
1958. He is survived by his three beloved children,
Michael Harrington of Bethesda, Maryland, Timothy J.
Harrington of Roselle, Mary Kate Santulli of Cranford,
and his son-in-law Keith Santulli and daughter-in-law
Alexandra Harrington.
The viewing will be
private. A celebration of Mike’s life is planned for
later this year.
To send flowers to
the family or plant a tree in memory of Michael X
Harrington please visit our Tribute Store.
Dooley Funeral Home
218 N. Ave. W.
Cranford, NJ 07016
(908) 276-0255