Donald H Barrington

Donald Harry Barrington, 89, resident of Great Falls, MT for the past five years, passed away due to complications after surgery, Friday, June 20, 2014. Graveside services will be held in Twin Falls, ID sometime in July. Cremation has taken place under the direction of O’Connor Funeral Home. He was born in Pocatello, ID on September 15, 1924, son of Harry and Alba Barrington of Twin Falls, ID. After graduating from Twin Falls High in July of 1943, at the age of 19, he joined the Navy. He was sent to Europe and was attached to a unit for the invasion of Normandy and landed at Utah Beach. He spent most of his time at La Havre, France working as a store keeper in a castle on Admiral Wilkes staff. He often boasted of getting the opportunity to chauffeur General Eisenhower and Admiral Wilkes on a sightseeing trip to the Normandy Beach head. He would always add; “I had a lot of power in that car that day.” He spent time on the USS ATR_2 and the USS Queens. After WWII he left the military and returned to Idaho where he married Marion Fern Larison in 1947 and had two sons Daniel and John. In 1958 he rejoined the Navy and also remarried that year to Lois E. Anderson; (born in Willard, MT.) and he then had a ten year old daughter, Linda. They moved from San Diego, CA to Fresno, CA where son Craig was born. During his years of service besides the reserve training center in Fresno and the Naval Auxiliary air station in Fallon, NV he spent time on the USS Talladega, USS Diachenko; USS Enterprise, and USS Consellation. He received the Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal, (Four Awards), WWII Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (four Campaign Awards), and The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Don and his wife, Lois, and son Craig, spent most of his retirement in Twin Falls, ID. He lived with his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Ken Lay of Great Falls, MT for the past five years. Don is survived by his sister, Dorothy Stewart of Oceanside, CA; brother-in-law Jack (Anne) Westrope of Billings; sister-in-law Darlene Kochel of Tioga, ND; sons Daniel L. (Diane) Gines of Rupert, ID, John R. (Lisa) of Cascade, ID , and Craig (Rebecca) Barrington of Richland, WA; daughter Linda (Kenneth) Lay of Great Falls; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.