Patricia Lyons Harrington

Patricia Lyons Harrington, a former teacher and music supervisor for the Boston Public Schools passed away on Monday, December 2, 2019 at her home in Essex,  at the age of 106.  Formerly of Dorchester and Marshfield, Patricia spent the last thirty-one years of her life on the North Shore.  

Pat was born on September 25, 1913 to Drs. Marie F. Gavin and Joseph V. Lyons at their home in Roxbury, Massachusetts. She attended Notre Dame Academy, Girl’s Latin School and was accepted to Radcliffe College but attended Boston Teacher’s College where she graduated with a degree in music and a minor in geography. 

Pat worked in Boston as a music teacher for forty-five years at the Mather and Grover Cleveland schools and was known for putting on the most spectacular shows and holiday assemblies.  She trained and directed the school’s orchestra and chorus as well as talent shows, pageants, and safety broadcasts.  Pat enjoyed supervising the Youth Concerts at Symphony Hall. When she was not teaching music, Pat could be found on the Charles River teaching sailing at Community Boating.  

Pat was a supporter and subscriber of the BSO for many years. In addition to her passion for music, she loved world travel and spending time with family. Trips to the farm at Sharon when she was a young girl with her immediate and extended families were some of her fondest memories.  

She is survived by her nephew George Gavin Lyons and his wife, Ann, whom she lived with for thirty-one years; their three children, Mary, Katherine, Patricia and her husband Casey.  Other survivors include her three nieces Veronica Norton and her husband Shane, Patricia Kastli, Marie Lopresti and her husband John, many great-nieces and great-nephews, Pamela Harrington Tomkinson and her husband Don.  She is pre-deceased by her brother, US Navy Commander George A Lyons, formerly of Marshfield, sisters-in-law, Elinor Lyons, Rodolphe Kastli and husband John Evans Harrington.  

A Celebration of Life Mass will be held on December 14 at 10:00 am at St. John the Baptist Church, 52 Martin Street, Essex.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home of Ipswich. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in the name of Patricia Lyons Harrington to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street B-102, Danvers, MA, 01923 where contributions will be directed into a fund that provides at-home care and services for families.

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