John Hunter Carrington

John Hunter Carrington, 82, of Wake Forest, passed away Tuesday, February 28, 2017. He was born October 25, 1934 in Philadelphia, PA to William and Doretta Carrington, the eighth of nine children. Prior to finishing high school he enlisted in the US Army during the Korean War, serving as a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division from 1953 to 1955. Following his military service he earned his GED at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, NJ. He went on to earn a degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener University) in 1962.

That same year he, his wife Kay and a close friend from the Army, John Reiber, pooled all their savings to buy Sirchie Fingerprint Laboratories, a three-employee business that manufactured crime scene investigation equipment. Over the next forty years he would grow this company into the Sirchie Group of companies, having over 100 employees and providing forensic products, vehicles and training worldwide. In 1975 he moved the company from Medford, NJ to Raleigh, NC. He sold the company in 2008.

He was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the 15th Senate district from 1995-2005.

John was preceded in death by his wife Ruby Carrington in 2015. He is survived by his first wife, Kay Carrington and their sons, Kent and Scott Carrington, his daughters-in-law Clarinda Carrington and Tracy Carrington, his five grandchildren, Sean Carrington, Colleen Carrington, Maille Carrington, Caitlin Carrington and Erin Carrington, his brother Donald R. Carrington, sister Nancy Lamm and his nephew Donald I. Carrington; and by Ruby's children and their families: Diane McKinnie Dunn and Jeffery McKinnie.

On Monday, March 6, 2017, starting at 6 PM Military Honors followed by a reception to celebrate his life will be held at Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7209 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612.