August 11, 1953 – January 14, 2023

Paul Harrington passed away peacefully at home in Granby, Colorado on Saturday, January 14th. Paul was born in Denver to Martin J. Harrington and Nancy Doran Harrington. Known affectionately as ‘Tall Paul,’ he worked passionately and with a creative rigor that enriched many people’s lives.

Paul grew up in Denver’s Thraemoor neighborhood, which in those days was considered ‘the country.’ After graduating from Bear Creek High School in 1972, Paul went on to earn a degree in Horticulture from Red Rocks Community College. He then moved to Larkspur, where he worked on the Larkspur Fire Search and Rescue Team. Work on the Vagabond Ranch brought Paul to Grand County, Colorado, a place he liked to call ‘The Lower Klondike.’ After meeting the love of his life, Cheryl Chesson, Paul proudly established the Harrington Landscapes business. Together, Paul and Cheryl continued to grow the business, contributing to many civic and private projects in Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash, Hot Sulfur, Granby, and Grand Lake. Paul cared for his loyal crew of landscapers, and he was a friend and advocate for their families.

Paul’s roots run deep in Grand Lake, where he spent each summer with his siblings Martin, Nondi and Tim at his family’s longtime home on the south shore of the lake. They, like the three generations before them, carried on the traditions of the Grand Lake Yacht Club. Paul thoroughly enjoyed the thrills of sailing. On one memorable afternoon, he returned to his crew shortly after dislocating his shoulder in an earlier race.

Today’s Yacht Club community knows Paul best for spearheading the Grand Lake Yacht Club expansion project. His perseverance and determination, coupled with his great relationship with former Mayor Gene Stover, led to an amazing transformation of both the Yacht Club grounds and the Grand Lake Public Beach. For 30 years, Paul maintained the grounds of the Yacht Club, and for his hard work and dedication to the club, Paul was awarded the Hall Sportsmanship Trophy in 2022.

Paul also donated his time and resources to make meaningful contributions to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Paul and Cheryl found peace and solace in the beauty of Mexico, where they created a serene second home. Paul was fluent in Spanish and had deep admiration for Puerto Vallarta’s culture. He earned the love and appreciation from many in the community, where he was known affectionately as “Pablo.”

Paul was curious and relished in self-directed learning. He was in his element in the company of friends or listening to music, or both. He witnessed the golden years of rock and roll in the 1960s and 1970s in-person at thousands of concerts. He had an encyclopedic recall of the great musicians and bands of the era. As a Denver native, Paul was a life-long Broncos fan. He was also a true steward of nature and enjoyed a special connection with animals of all species.

Paul’s quiet, generous acts of kindness will live on along the windy shores of Grand Lake, and in the beautiful trees, flowers and contoured landscapes throughout Grand County and Puerto Vallarta. His love of the land endeared him to the many people he cared for, ultimately making their lives more beautiful. Paul will be deeply missed by his life partner, Cheryl Chesson, his siblings Martin Harrington (Julie), Nondi Harrington, and Tim Harrington (Melinda), his nieces and nephews Annie Weinig (Brad), Thomas Harrington (Lauren), Will Phelps, Hilary Dunsmoor (Zack), and Emma Kane (Eddie). ‘Uncle Paul’ will live on with grand nieces and nephews through family story lore. He is also lovingly remembered by his cousins George Wilson, Joseph Wilson, Andrew Wilson, David Wilson and Sarah Wilson, David Carey, Meagan Carey, Jerry Purcell, Peter Purcell and Patrick Purcell.

The family requests memorials be sent to the Grand Lake Yacht Club Sailing Foundation, The Grand Lake Historical Society, Vallarta Botanical Gardens, or an organization of your choice. There will be a celebration of Paul’s life at the Grand Lake Yacht Club on August 11th and 12th, 2023. The family will share more details as the date approaches.