Harold Harrington, who served as Broadway’s mayor for 10 years, died Wednesday at 89 years old, according to an online obituary published by Smith Funeral Home of Broadway:
In addition to his time as mayor, Harrington served on the town board of commissioners for several years, as well as on the planning board and as the town’s police commissioner. According to the obituary, he also served in the Army during the Korean War and had retired as vice president of First Citizens Bank.
Donald Andrews, who succeeded Harrington as mayor, said his presence around town will be missed.
“There’s no training you get when you become mayor, so you look to the person who was there before you,” Andrews said. “He had kind of a calming effect on folks, he was just even-keeled and really seemed to care for people and for Broadway.”
Andrews pointed to the town’s veterans memorial as central to Harrington’s legacy with Broadway, noting that Harrington was mayor at the time the project launched.
Despite having left office several years ago, Andrews said Harrington maintained his civic involvement.
“At the (Broadway Our Way) festival the last few years and at the Christmas parade, he’d be out there in his red truck, even when he couldn’t get around so well,” Andrews said. “He wanted to see people and to have people see him. He really loved the town of Broadway.”