Fred Alan Harrington

Died January 27, 2023

Fred Alan Harrington, age 90, of Mt. Morris, Michigan and Saint James City, Florida died Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 in Cape Coral, Florida. Born Nov. 28, 1932 to Elijah ‘Earl’ and Uneita Harrington, as a young man Fred served four years in the U.S. Navy, including time aboard the USS Cassin Young during the Korean Conflict. He married Katherine Helmreich on Sept. 22, 1956 in Reese, Michigan. They raised four children together and, for several years, Fred operated a mobile auto parts delivery service started by his father, with customers in several communities across East-central Michigan. In the evenings, he would assist friends with auto repairs in his home garage. By the age of 50, Fred began honing his self-taught artistic skills into a special talent as a chase engraver, quickly achieving master engraver certification, and thereafter became one of the most sought-after gun and knife engravers in the world. Pieces bearing his mark were highly coveted and became gifts to many, including former United States and Russian Presidents Ronald Regan and Boris Yeltsin. He was a member of the Firearms Engravers Guild of America and several knifemaker associations. An avid outdoorsman, Fred enjoyed many days afield with family and friends, with Atlanta, Mich. and Raber Bay in the St. Mary’s river among his favorite haunts.

Fred is survived by sisters Martha Moore and Jean Eichenhofer, daughter Molly and husband John Woodward, daughter-in-law Margarete Harrington, grandchildren Raymond (Julie) DeMaertelure, Melissa (Nate) Hebl, Chelsea (John) Plesz, and Cody Harrington, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by wife Katherine, sons Fred and Steve, daughter Jeanne and husband Raymond DeMaertelure, brothers Harley and Earl ‘Bud’ Harrington, sisters Arleita Severn and Fern Triestram. A Celebration of Life gathering in Fred’s honor is being planned for the summer of 2023 at Fred’s home in Mt. Morris.