Obituary of Francis Harrington Golen

Francis Harrington Golen | Obituary

FAIRFIELD, CT

Francis “Fran” Harrington Golen, age 67, of Fairfield, CT, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on March 3, 2025. Fran was born in Holyoke, MA, on January 21, 1958, the same day as his beloved mother. He was the son of the late Dr. Francis R. and Joan (Harrington) Golen. Before relocating to Fairfield, he lived in Malvern, PA, for over 35 years. Fran attended Mater Dolorosa Elementary School and graduated from Holyoke High School in 1976.

Fran earned his B.S. in Biology from Fairfield University, where he met the love of his life, Andrea “Andie” (Sturtevant) Golen. They graduated together in 1980. He earned a second B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from UMass Amherst and an advanced management certification from Harvard Business School in 2000. Fran was a proud member of Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society, and Alpha Pi Mu, the National Industrial Engineering Honor Society.

Fran dedicated over 35 years to IBM as a Global Client Executive. He developed business partnerships and managed enterprise relationships throughout his career. He covered multiple sectors, including Communications, Mass Media, Financial Services, and Healthcare.

Above all, Fran was a devoted husband to Andie, to whom he was married for 41 years. Fran was a source of guidance and support for his children, Kevin and Kristen. Nothing was more important to him than being there for his kids, especially cheering them on during their high school and college cross-country races. His love and compassion for others continue to resonate in the many lives he touched.

In addition to his wife, Andie, Fran is survived by his son Kevin and daughter-in-law Jessica (Marzik) of Fairfield, CT; his daughter Kristen (Golen) Wuestman and son-in-law Ryan of Fairfield, CT; and his four beloved grandchildren: Quinn, Dylan, Brayden, and Nolan.

He is also survived by his sister Paula (John) Deglis, his nephew Sean, his niece Jennie, and great-niece Johanna, all from South Hadley, MA; his sister-in-law Susan Sturtevant of Fairfield, CT; and several cousins and close friends.

Fran’s family extends their gratitude to the healthcare teams at Memorial Sloan Kettering and St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Lesko Funeral Home, located at 1209 Post Road, Fairfield Center. Following the visitation, a church service will take place at 12:00 PM at St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church, located at 1719 Post Road, Fairfield, CT.

In lieu of flowers, anyone who wishes can make a donation in Fran’s memory to Cycle for Survival, Memorial Sloan Kettering's official rare cancer fundraiser: http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/InLovingMemoryofFrancisGolen.

For travel directions or to leave an online condolence for Francis, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com.