REV. HAYWOOD L. HARRELL
April 4, 1913-Feb. 11, 2008
The Rev. Haywood L. Harrell, a resident of the Pines, died on Monday. He was a native of Rich Square, N.C. in Northampton County. He was born to the late K.L. "Dock" Harrell and Blanche Peele Harrell. The Rev. Harrell married, on Nov. 15, 1939, the late Dorothy Stallings Harrell of Durham, N.C., and they were married for 64 years. They served 38 years in the N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church in 38 churches. He retired in 1977. The Rev. Harrell received his ministerial education at Duke University and Duke Divinity School.
Early in his ministry, the Rev. Harrell dedicated himself to serving churches of small membership, to help the members feel that they were just as important in the Lord's Kingdom as those in the large churches. He believed a pastor was just as important as a preacher and devoted his life to both missions. The Rev. Harrell loved all of his people and he was a tireless visitor in their homes. He had a keen and wholesome sense of humor and used it to lift the spirits of all who knew his friendship.
He initiated 13 building programs from Sunday school rooms to new sanctuaries, and served 17 years in the conferences assemblies, camps and conferences. He taught family life conferences for 35 years throughout eastern North Carolina. Most courses were for senior high students on "Preparation for Marriage." He was certified by the Methodist Board of Education in Nashville, Tenn. The Rev. Harrell was a member of the N.C. Family Life Council and the National Family Life Council. He authored several programs for Program Quarterly, which was the youth program quarterly for churches with small youth groups in the Methodist Church. He served as president and vice-president of the Methodist Rural Fellowship of the Conference. He attended conferences in Lincoln, Neb., Chicago, Ill., Bloomington, Ind., Emory University and several at Lake Junaluska, N.C. All were in the field of rural church and family life.
The Rev. Harrell is survived by a daughter, Genette H. Tate and husband, Walter; two sons, Linwood E. Harrell and wife, Brenda, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Ernest S. Harrell and wife, Diane, of Kinston, N.C.; five grandchildren, Denise Poole and husband, David, of Raleigh, N.C., Donna Tillman of Pikeville, N.C., Dianne Wiley of Pensacola, Fla., Gina Harrell Barbour and husband, Mark, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Christopher Harrell of Florida; three great-grandchildren, Thomas Poole of Raleigh, N.C., Katie Stilley of Pikeville, N.C., Michael Stone of LaGrange, N.C.; his sister-in-law, Ruth B. Harrell of Raleigh; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his sisters, Meeter H. Todd and Flossie H. Brown; his brothers, Stanley Harrell and Grover Harrell; and his grandson, J.B. Tillman.
The family will receive friends Wednesday at Seymour Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Seymour Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Martin Armstrong, the Rev. T.C. West and the Rev. McGee Creech officiating. Burial will follow in Pineview Cemetery near Seven Springs.
Memorial donations may be made to the MERCI Center, 676 Community Drive, Goldsboro, N.C. 27530.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on February 13, 2008 2:06 PM