Harry McCartney awarded Citizen of the Year

HARRINGTON- Citizen of the Year is presented annually to an individual whose volunteerism, outstanding service and dedication have made a significant contribution to the community.

This year, Harry McCartney is the recipient of the award and will be in the parade at Fall Festival coming up this weekend.

McCartney has led a successful life but said it takes a village to achieve success.

He is 93 and retired from the oil and insurance business.

He and his wife Evelyn have been married for 70 years.

The two are enjoying retirement at an assisted living facility in Spokane.

Evelyn was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but still helps Harry with various projects.

McCartney's outlook on life is a positive one, but his life has had some hardship.

When McCartney was a child his mother was not able to care for him.

"From when I was eight until I turned 17, I lived with 14 different families," he said. "Most families were good to me, but I left one family because she worked me over with a broom."

He recalled leaving in the middle of the night and never returning.

McCartney never finished ninth grade because farm work took too much of his time. Just before joining the Navy in 1946 he worked on a farm in Chesaw, WA.

Harry met Evelyn while working at a funeral home in Wenatchee in 1951.

Evelyn grew up on a dairy/cattle farm outside of Odessa.

She comes from a family of 10 children.

McCartney recalls working as a bus mechanic for the Harrington School District. He worked there for three years.

After being a bus mechanic Harry applied for a Standard Oil Distributor position.

"There were several other people that applied," he said. "I am not sure why they picked me."

McCartney recalled it being the best job he ever had. He was there for 17 years.

In 1969, the McCartney's purchased Gilbert Insurance in Harrington and ran the Standard Oil Distribution company together until 1976.

Five years later he bought out the insurance company and changed its name to McCartney.

McCartney worked in insurance until retiring in 2000.

They had three children, Peggy, Judy and Tom.

Tom drove the truck for their oil distribution company after he got his learner's permit. He was killed when he lost control of his car on a rural road in 1977.

Judy passed away in a car accident near Tacoma in 2001.

Peggy, their remaining daughter, lives in Spokane and was a realtor for a number of years before retiring.

McCartney has nothing but love for the Harrington area.

"I owe everything to Harrington," he said. "They helped me without hesitation."