Darlington retires from Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery after 59 years

Edward Darlington, a native of Charles City County, has retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after a 59-year career at the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery.

Darlington began his career on June 1, 1962 and has made significant contributions to the service’s fish and conservation program and to the National Fish Hatchery. He began as a fish hatcheryman helper before promoted to a fish hatcheryman. In the 1970s, he became a maintenance mechanic and eventually a heavy equipment instructor in 1985. In addition, Darlington cared for more than 400 acres of land at the Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery. He also launched a successful volunteer program for the hatchery, resulting in nearly 3,500 hours of volunteer labor during a five-year period.

“Ed is an exceptional employee with an excellent work ethic, willingness to take on any task, and ability to identify efficient solutions to problems,” said Rachel Mair, project leader of Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery in a press release. “He never tires of voluntarily helping his fellow employees with his time and expertise. He enthusiastically takes the initiative to perform tasks beyond his normal job duties that contribute to the service’s mission.”