Obituary: Mildred Harris Arrington

Mildred Harris Arrington entered into eternal rest April 28, 2022, in Charleston, S.C. She was born Sept. 22, 1916, in Thomasville, GA, the youngest of six sisters.

When she was 10 years old, the family moved to Boston, GA, where she lived until graduating from High School.

With no funds available for college, she moved in with her sister, Ruth, in Sarasota, FL, and began a career with Western Union. At 17, she traveled to Bloomfield, N.J., to train on the teletype machine as the Morse Code was being replaced.

She traveled the state of Florida, following the towns during the tourist and migrant seasons. There were strawberries in Plant City, watermelons in Leesburg, potatoes in Palatka, and citrus in Eustis and Tavares. She was managing an office there when she met and married her husband of 59 years, William “Bill” Sidney Arrington Jr. until his death in 1999. Together, they raised two boys, William S. Arrington III and Charles H. Arrington.

She was an active wife, mother, homemaker, sports mom, church worker, duplicate bridge player and golfer. She served as a co-worker with her husband, as Oakland town treasurer, a volunteer election poll worker, community clothes closet volunteer and Meals on Wheels deliverer and was always ready with a casserole or sour cream pound cake for the infirmed or bereaved.

She was a loving Grandma and great-grandma (Big Mama).

She is survived by her son, Charles; two daughters-in-law (Doris, Judy); three grandchildren, (Sidney, Paul, Jennifer) and six great-grandchildren (Amanda, Chloe, Hali, Caleb, Logan, TJ).

She is predeceased by her husband, William Sidney Arrington Jr.; her sisters, Irene, Lois, Gladys, Evelyn and Ruth; her son, William S. Arrington III; and a grandchild, Pamela Kristin Arrington.

Special gratitude to Mildred’s caregiver, Ann Robinson, and angels who helped care for her.

Viewing will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the Baldwin Fairchild Funeral home, 428 Plant St., Winter Garden. The graveside service will be private for family members, and the memorial service will be held at the Oakland Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m. A reception in the fellowship hall is to follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, a monetary gift can be made in her honor to the Oakland Presbyterian Church, 218 E. Oakland Ave., Oakland, FL 34760; a portion of which will be sent to support the Ukraine refugee crisis.