Missy Harrington Death and Obituary – The Shumla community is mourning the profound loss of Missy Harrington, a long-time supporter, volunteer, former staff member, and cherished friend, who passed away on January 16, 2026. Missy’s passing marks the end of an era for the organization she helped nurture from its earliest days. For nearly 28 years, her vision, generosity, and unwavering commitment shaped Shumla’s mission and left a lasting imprint on everyone fortunate enough to work beside her.
Missy’s journey with Shumla began in 1997, when founder Carolyn Boyd shared her dream of creating a center in the Lower Pecos region dedicated to teaching people of all ages about rock art, archaeology, and ancient lifeways. Alongside her husband, Jack Harrington, Missy embraced that dream wholeheartedly. A year later, in 1998, Shumla was officially founded, and the Harringtons generously donated a portion of their ranch to provide a permanent home for the organization. That land became the Harrington Campus, a place that continues to serve as a hub for learning, exploration, and preservation.
In Shumla’s formative years, Missy worked closely with Carolyn to design and develop the educational programs that defined the organization’s purpose. Her leadership and creativity helped build initiatives that reached more than 25,000 students across communities including Del Rio, Comstock, Eagle Pass, and Bracketville. She also helped establish a meaningful binational educational program connecting students from Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico, fostering cross-border cultural understanding through shared history and heritage.
Over the years, Missy served Shumla in numerous roles, each carried out with dedication and quiet excellence. She worked as Curriculum Director, Librarian, and Technical Editor, ensuring that educational materials were not only accurate but inspiring. Her attention to detail, passion for learning, and love for the region’s history elevated the quality of every project she touched.
Yet beyond her professional contributions, Missy Harrington was, above all, a treasured friend. Many recall evenings gathered around her table filled with warmth, laughter, shared stories, and spirited games of Spinners. Her kindness, wit, and generosity of spirit created lasting bonds that extended far beyond the walls of Shumla.
Missy’s legacy lives on in the students whose curiosity she sparked, in the programs she helped build, and in the enduring success of the organization she loved so deeply. While her absence leaves a void, her impact will continue to guide Shumla’s mission for generations to come.
She will be remembered with gratitude, admiration, and affection by all who knew her.