James Paul Harrington, of Kennett Square, died Saturday, Feb. 27, after a 6-year struggle with pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.

He was born Christmas Day 1925 in Lucknow, India, attended the Woodstock School in Mussoorie, India, graduated from Cazenovia, N.Y., High School in 1943, and received BSE and MSE degrees from Princeton University.

He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II as part of the 238th General Hospital unit while in Europe.

He worked for DuPont, Wilmington. for 18 years as a research engineer in polychemicals, technical representative and group manager, receiving two patents. He also served as research and development director for the L.D. Caulk Co., Milford, Del.; director of exhibits at the Franklin Institute (Philadelphia), 1973-1981; and served as an editor at Technomic Publishing Co. (Lancaster) and Sage Publications Limited (London, England). He was the founding editor of the "Journal on Plastic Film and Sheeting," and served in that role until January.

In addition, he served as a scout aster, was president of Runnymeade (the first racially integrated housing corporation in Delaware in the late 1950s), a leader of the New Party to get Eugene McCarthy on the presidential ballot in 1968, and a founder of the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad.

He co-authored "Aviation and Pennsylvania" and "Packaging Foods with Plastics," wrote several papers, and edited several other publications.

He spent much of his vacation time at Lake Paupac Club in the Poconos. He loved playing tennis at Paupac and locally.

Largely as a result of his experiences during the war, he became a member of the Religious Society of Friends in 1953 with the Wilmington Monthly Meeting, then transferred to Birmingham Monthly Meeting in 1989. He served in leadership roles and on various committees with these Meetings and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Wilson Harrington; daughter, Barbara Murphy of Glendale, Ariz.; sons, Ian of Wayland, Mass., and Eric of Maynard, Mass.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and brother, William of Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The memorial service for Jim will be held Saturday, March 20, at 2 p.m. at the Crosslands Retirement Community in Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Friends Committee on National Legislation Education Fund, 245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002; or Neighborhood Hospice, 400 E. Marshall St., West Chester, PA 19380.