Harold Douglas Logan was born on June 18, 1911, the son of Homer and Anna (Nardine) Logan. His father soon abandoned the family and Harold spent a part of his childhood in an orphanage. Harold was nicknamed "Red" due to the color of his hair and was known as such throughout his life. He trained as a surveyor through the Civilian Conservation Corps circa 1938. Red married Lillian Tillbrook on March 18, 1939 and they lived in Middletown, CT. He was employed at the railroad in Hartford as a freight-checker. Their daughter, Sandra Louise Logan was born on April 12, 1940. On July 6, 1944 Red was working at the railroad in Hartford when the Ringling Brothers Circus Big Top caught on fire. Lillian and her mother, Emma Tillbrook, had taken four-year-old Sandra to the show that day and when he saw the smoke in the sky he ran to the circus grounds on Barbour Street in Hartford's North End. Red would end up identifying Sandra's body in the morgue which was set up at the State Armory. Lillian and Red never got over the shock of their daughter's death and family lore has it that Red's hair turned white almost immediately follwing the tragedy. In 1947 they moved to Cromwell, CT and eventually had three sons. Red worked hard to support his family and was a very skilled woodworker. In May of 1983 Red's wife, Lillian, died of complications from hepatitis. He was distraught after the death of his wife, and became ill soon after. A life-long smoker, what was first thought to be tuberculosis was diagnosed as lung cancer. The cancer progressed rapidly and Red died at the hospice unit in Branford, CT on Mother's Day 1984, a year after his wife. He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Middletown, CT next to his wife Lillian and their daughter Sandra, as well as his mother, Anna. He was survived by his three sons and their wives. Called "Grumpy" by his grandchildren, he was also survived by 3 grandsons and 4 granddaughters.
Harold Douglas Logan was born on June 18, 1911, the son of Homer and Anna (Nardine) Logan. His father soon abandoned the family and Harold spent a part of his childhood in an orphanage. Harold was nicknamed "Red" due to the color of his hair and was known as such throughout his life. He trained as a surveyor through the Civilian Conservation Corps circa 1938. Red married Lillian Tillbrook on March 18, 1939 and they lived in Middletown, CT. He was employed at the railroad in Hartford as a freight-checker. Their daughter, Sandra Louise Logan was born on April 12, 1940. On July 6, 1944 Red was working at the railroad in Hartford when the Ringling Brothers Circus Big Top caught on fire. Lillian and her mother, Emma Tillbrook, had taken four-year-old Sandra to the show that day and when he saw the smoke in the sky he ran to the circus grounds on Barbour Street in Hartford's North End. Red would end up identifying Sandra's body in the morgue which was set up at the State Armory. Lillian and Red never got over the shock of their daughter's death and family lore has it that Red's hair turned white almost immediately follwing the tragedy. In 1947 they moved to Cromwell, CT and eventually had three sons. Red worked hard to support his family and was a very skilled woodworker. In May of 1983 Red's wife, Lillian, died of complications from hepatitis. He was distraught after the death of his wife, and became ill soon after. A life-long smoker, what was first thought to be tuberculosis was diagnosed as lung cancer. The cancer progressed rapidly and Red died at the hospice unit in Branford, CT on Mother's Day 1984, a year after his wife. He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Middletown, CT next to his wife Lillian and their daughter Sandra, as well as his mother, Anna. He was survived by his three sons and their wives. Called "Grumpy" by his grandchildren, he was also survived by 3 grandsons and 4 granddaughters.
