It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of our beloved father, Harrington John Oberlander Jr., aka Sam and Harry. He passed away peacefully on June 22 at the age of 89.
Harrington Oberlander Jr., 89, died June 22. His burial will take place on Sept. 17.
He was born Oct. 31, 1931 in Bridgeport and died 47 years and 3 days after the death of his late wife, Elizabeth Ann Ruddy, aka Sis.
Harry was born to Harrington John Oberlander Sr., aka Harry, and Marjorie Josephine Ayers O. Bondi, (Frank).
Harry lived with his great-grandfather, John H. Oberlander, aka Jack, and his step-great-grandmother,Nellie Francis Mather Oberlander at 3 Oberlander Place, Darien for a good part of his early life.
Harry attended Peekskill Military Academy in the early 1940s and graduated from Darien High School in 1950. While at Darien High he was on the varsity football team and a member of the Glee Club.
After high school, Harry joined the Air Force during the Korean Conflict and attended a radio operator course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was awarded the Korean, United Nations and National Defense Service medals along with the Good Conduct medal.
Harry married Sis, his high school sweetheart, on April 3, 1954, shortly after he was discharged from the Air Force. He entered the trades as a plumber, went to night school and earned his plumbing license. He retired as a master plumber in the mid-1990s, with 40 years in the trade.
Harry spent the last 25 years residing at Kingsway Senior Housing, next to Stew Leonard’s Norwalk. While at Kingsway, he was active in the Kingsway Store and café, also active in the resident association, and helped in any way he could.
In 2014, Harry converted to Catholicism at St. Philip Roman Catholic Church in Norwalk and was active in the church until he was hospitalized for bone cancer in early 2020.
His longtime friend, Ms. Olga Papoutsidou was instrumental in Harry’s conversion. Harry spent his last year at Carolton Chronic and Convalescent Hospital in Fairfield.
Harry was predeceased by his grandfather, Harry William Oberlander, aka Socks, (father: John H. Oberlander, aka Jack, mother: Ella Hubbell) and grandmother, Anna May Keeler (father: Warren Keeler; mother: Anna C. Borhm); his sister, Claire O. Kavan, (William) of Burbank, California.
He is survived by three siblings from his stepmother, Ann Michals Oberlander: William Edward Oberlander, (Joyce Condors) of Sun City, Arizona; Susan Jane O. Peterson, (Edward) of Athens, Tennessee and John Oberlander, (Debra) of Bethel. He was the father of the late Kimberly Ann Oberlander, Cynthia Ann O. Almeida, (Baltazar) and Bryan Kevin Oberlander.
He is survived by two sons, Harrington John Oberlander III, aka Skip; and Jeffrey Scott Oberlander, and Jeffrey’s daughter, Roxanne O. Ferguson, (Christopher). He is also survived by his late daughter Cynthia’s children, Eric Almeida and Courtney Almeida, and Courtney’s son, Justin Almeida.
From his son, Skip, he is survived by his granddaughter, Natasha Ann Oberlander, (mother: Christine O. Roach), and her son, Jake Harrington Cross. He is also survived by grandchildren, Phillip Oberlander and Jennifer Elizabeth Oberlander, (Mother-Georgine F. Harmonway Oberlander, aka Gigi).
From his son Jeffrey, he is survived by three grandsons; Brian Joseph Oberlander, Kurt Harrington-John Oberlander and Christian McDonald-Charles Oberlander (mother: Maria Guinle Corkern Oberlander).
His body was cremated and will be buried with his father, Harrington John Oberlander Sr., at Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien at 12 noon, Friday Sept. 17, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to a veterans organization.
— an obituary from the Raymond Funeral Home, where online condolences may be left