Pamela K. Harrington

Pamela K. Harrington, age 72, of Richland, MI, passed away unexpectedly on August 25, 2024. She was born October 22, 1951 in Kalamazoo, MI to Donald and Dolores Harrington.

After graduating from Gull Lake High School in 1969, Pam attended Northwestern Michigan College. She spent a few years living and working in Florida before returning to settle in Richland. She spent her career working in bookkeeping, primarily with Construction Labor Services with her good friend Marie Stech. 

Pam lived most of her life in the family’s home on Gull Lake in the Highland Park neighborhood. The house regularly overflowed with friends and family, especially for her annual 4th of July party. For everyone who knew her, Pam and Gull Lake are inextricably connected. From early spring to late fall, she could be found on the water—in her younger years, waterskiing or boating, and later, swimming with the band of friends she called her “swim team.” She enjoyed boating with family and teaching her grand-nieces and nephews how to swim. 

When not in the lake, Pam loved riding her bike and traveling the Midwest with friends, seeking adventures and the most beautiful trails. She was committed to her community; she was a member at St. Ann Catholic Church and served as an election worker.

Pam was fiercely devoted to her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents and sister, Robynne Harrington, and is survived by her brother-in-law, John Wernet, and many cousins who were also lifelong friends. In Pam’s own words, the “loves of her life” were her nephews, Alex (Sarah) and Kevin (Jamie) Wernet, and niece Genny (Jason) Ward-Wernet. Above all else, she delighted in her role as surrogate grandmother to her grand-nieces and nephews: Robynne, Nellie, Leah, Annie, Allison, Donald, Alexa, Eddie, and Mary Cate. They spent summers at the lake and nearly every holiday together; they will especially remember Pam’s world-famous boiled dinner on St. Patrick’s Day. Pam was also blessed to live life surrounded by close friends, many cultivated since childhood, with whom she shared endless antics and laughter. 

Visitations will be held on Thursday, September 5 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home in Richland. St. Ann Catholic Church, located at 12648 E. D Ave., Augusta, Michigan will host a visitation at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 6, with funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Personal messages for Pam’s family may be shared at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.