Irvin "Toby" Harrington, Jr. passed away peacefully with his family by his side on May 23, 2023, at the age of 92.  He was born February 9, 1931, to Thelma (Lyles) and Irvin Harrington, Sr. in Aberdeen, Mississippi, where he was raised with his older sister, Daphne, and his younger sister, Polly.

After high school, Toby attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, graduating in 1954.  During college, he spent a couple of summers in Crescent City, California, working as a lumberjack in the timber industry.  After graduating with dual degrees in sociology and theology, he drove his Triumph TR3 back to Crescent City where he established a permanent residency and founded the Oceanview Baptist Church, which still stands and ministers today as Lighthouse Community Church.  He eventually left the ministry, making his way to southern California.  He started in the banking business but applied for a job in the aerospace industry with Systems Development Corporation (SDC) in Santa Monica, California.  He was hired and spent over twenty-five years with the company, traveling around the world and interfacing with top military leaders to implement air defense systems for US allies.  It was at SDC where he met his beloved wife, Josephine.  They were married in 1961 and eventually moved to Northridge, California, where they raised their four children.

After his tenure at SDC, Toby became an entrepreneur.  He purchased a reupholstering business, then another and yet another until his sales territory became most of the San Fernando Valley.  The business grew to include contracts with major department stores.  He owned and operated this business for nearly twenty years before retiring to Palm Desert, California.  While lazy days of golf and sunshine were originally appealing, he became restless and started his third career while in retirement as a bookkeeper, maintaining the books for a local consignment shop for over ten years until the consignment shop eventually closed its doors.

Toby's health began to decline in his late 80's.  He and Josephine left Palm Desert in 2021 for assisted living in Laguna Niguel, California, where he was fortunate to be in close proximity to his daughters.

Toby was fond of many things in his life.  He loved music and played piano, passing his love of music on to his children.  He could often be found sitting at the piano playing Errol Garner's "Misty" or Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind."  He also loved to cook.  Southern staples were constant in his repertoire and there was never any shortage of grits or pimento cheese in the house.  One of his favorite meals was the traditional southern dish of black-eyed peas and cornbread.  However, innovation was not out of Toby's realm.  He very cleverly crafted a chicken and walnuts meal using red and green bell peppers that became a tradition at Christmas time due to its holiday colors.  His New Year's Day menu almost always included French Onion Soup and the best gazpacho many of us had ever tasted.  Easter brunch very often included Lobster Newburg.

Of all the loves in his life, though, nothing was more precious to him than his wife and children.

Toby is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Josephine; his son Irvin C. "Todd" Harrington, III of Agoura Hills, California; his son Steven Harrington of Oak Park, California; his daughter Julie (Harrington) Giffin of Laguna Niguel, California; and his daughter Jennifer (Harrington) Nahas of Laguna Beach, California; as well as eight grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters.

Services will be held on July 9.