Friends say Ade Harrington was extremely humble, though she deserved to be in the spotlight.
Harrington was intelligent and successful, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Va., and a master’s degree in systems engineering from the University of Virginia.
Since 1979, she worked in many positions at Georgia Tech Research Institute. Most recently, she was head of the Test Engineering Division, and she was instrumental in the growth of GTRI’s research and development with U.S. Air Force foreign military sales.
“Everybody will remember Adrienne as probably the most patient, caring, polite, humble person you could ever want to meet in your life,” said Harrington’s close friend and colleague Cindy Lagesse. “She was not a bragger. She always took the back seat and she made the decision to never be the center of attention, although she deserved it so many times.”
Adrienne Jean Harrington, of Atlanta, died July 21 of unknown causes. She was 55. A viewing will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 28 at H.M. Patterson and Son Spring Hill. A funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Harrington will be buried with her parents in Virginia.
Every three weeks, Harrington would travel to Virginia to visit her parents and take care of her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. After her mother died, Harrington continued to go to Virginia to care for her stepfather.
“She was very devoted to him and was here all the time to do whatever she could for him,” said Alan Brown, Harrington’s stepbrother. In addition to helping shop and clean, Brown said Harrington helped her stepfather publish three books and create artwork.
Harrington always put others first, even by doing little things like making sure friends’ cars started before leaving a restaurant.
Harrington was also dedicated to the Atlanta Falcons, and was a season ticket holder for most of the 35 years she lived in Atlanta. She and Lagesse would travel once a year to an away game, and the friends were looking forward to going to London this year for the game against Detroit.
“I seriously cannot say one bad thing about her, and it would be hard-pressed for anyone else to either,” said Lagesse.
Harrington is survived by her brother Steve Harrington of Virginia Beach, Va. and stepbrother Alan Brown of Gloucester, Va.
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