Connie Barrington
Connie Barrington
November 5, 1933 — January 12, 2020
After a joyful day doing what she loved—mingling with neighbors, playing the piano, and enjoying a dish of ice cream—Connie McRee Barrington died peacefully of natural causes on Jan. 12, 2020 at her residence in Southlake, Texas. She was 86. A musical service celebrating her life will be held at the Church of Horseshoe Bay on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at 11 a.m. There will be fellowship after the service, followed by internment at the Horseshoe Bay Mausoleum.
Connie and her husband, Fred, were Realtors in Horseshoe Bay for 31 years, primarily in their own offices at Barringtons of Horseshoe Bay. Based on their professionalism, leadership, and sales results, they were honored in 2006 by the Highland Lakes Association of Realtors with its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. With abundant energy and style, they contributed to Horseshoe Bay’s vibrant spiritual and social culture, helping to form The Church at Horseshoe Bay, the Christmas Ball, Party Groups, and the 9-Holers. Throughout her years as a reliable member of the Church of HSB choir, Connie shared her love of music—a love which, along with her love of family, defined her life.
Connie was born on Nov. 5, 1933, in Jackson County, Oklahoma, the second child of M.F. and Esther Weems McRee. After graduating from Dimmit High School, she attended Midwestern University (Wichita Falls, Texas) on a music scholarship. There, she met and married Fred Barrington. They shared 63 years of love and devotion, gifts passed on to three daughters, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Prior to moving to Horseshoe Bay in 1983, Connie and Fred lived in Monahans, Houston, Denver, Corpus Christi, and Lamesa, Texas. In each of these communities, she sang in the church choirs and taught piano lessons to neighborhood children whose exercises and sonatas formed the family home’s soundtrack. Years later, when Fred’s dementia restricted their activities, music again dominated their home, as she played the piano throughout the day because music calmed him. After he died, playing the piano provided a reprieve from her grief. In her Southlake residence, she continued to sing and play the piano.
Connie will be dearly missed by her daughters and their families, Candace Barrington and Mike Shea of New Haven, Connecticut, Crystal Barrington and Pat Black of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, and Connie D. and John Deering of Southlake, Texas; Thomas Waldrop and Pauline Zerla of Stuttgart, Germany, Katherine, Kevin, Eleanor and Iris Kruger of Tamuning, Guam, Constance Deering of Dallas, Texas, and Caroline Deering of Clemson, South Carolina. A sister, Marilyn Durbin of Dalhart, Texas; and brothers, Burris McRee of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Brice McRee of Fort Worth, Texas; as well as numerous nieces and nephews, also survive her. She is predeceased by her parents; and her sister, Thelda Lang. She leaves behind her many friends at Silverado Southlake, who provided her a safe and supportive community—and all the ice cream she wanted.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Music Ministry at the Church of Horseshoe Bay, P.O. Box 8295, Horseshoe Bay, Texas 78657; or to The Walk, a Fort Worth-based ministry bringing music and worship services to seniors: seniorministries.org.
