Waynesville – Jack M. Harrell, age 85, of Greenview Drive, died on Monday, Jan. 5, 2009 at Haywood Regional Medical Center.
A native of Suffolk, Va., he also resided in Franklin, Va., before moving to Haywood County 40 years ago. He was the son of the late Thomas Coke Harrell and Nellie Francis Mongan Harrell. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Marjorie Harrell Gwaltney, Hilda Harrell Bowman, and Nell Harrell King and one brother, Edward Ragsdale Harrell. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. Jack received his engineering degree from NC State University and also attended Virginia Tech and William and Mary University. He attended Newport News Shipyard Apprentice School. He was among the tin can sailors on the USS Steinaker where he served as an electronic technician. He was a civil engineer employed by Champion Papers and retired after 25 years service. Jack was a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and member and past president of Friends of the Library. He was also a member of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Rozelle Baker Harrell; two sons, Dr. William Coke Harrell, of Santa Monica, Calif., and Ralph Baker Harrell, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; one daughter, Patricia Lee McClendon and husband, Raymond, of Poquoson, Va.; and two grandchildren, Christopher McClendon, of San Francisco, Calif., and Elizabeth McClendon, of Blacksburg, Va.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Dr. W. Lyn Sorrells and the Rev. Kathy Wilson officiating. Military services will be conducted by VFW Post 5202 and American Legion Post 47.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 838, Waynesville, NC 28786; Haywood County Public Library, 678 South Haywood Street, Waynesville, NC 28786; or Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721.
For those who desire, an online memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.wellsfuneralhome.com.