Edsel A. Harrell, 91, of Tifton passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, April 16, 2016, following a brief illness. Memorial services will be held for Mr. Harrell at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2016, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with Dr. Wayne Roe officiating and at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at Woodland United Methodist Church in Cairo with Dr. Russ Elkins officiating. The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 19, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Born October 17, 1924 in Whigham, Mr. Harrell was the son of the late C. Braxton Harrell and Mabel Moore Harrell. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Martha E. Elkins Harrell; five brothers, W. T. Harrell, Bronwood Harrell, Bill Harrell, Clinton Harrell and Gene Harrell; and three sisters, Winifred Richter, Dorothy Addison and Iris Jennings.
Mr. Harrell began his life on a farm in South Georgia about four miles north of Whigham. He believed that there was a better life somewhere other than shaking peanuts and picking cotton by hand. Upon graduation from high school in Whigham, he left the farm for Alexandria, Virginia, where he began an apprenticeship as a machinist in a torpedo plant. During World War II, he served his country honorably in the Army Signal Corps on isolated islands in the Pacific. His specific assignment was cryptography. He was discharged in January of 1946.
He obtained his BSAE in 1950 and his MSAE in 1951 from the University of Georgia. He taught eighth and ninth grade math and coached the boys and girls basketball teams at Whigham high school while he was obtaining his BS degree. During this time he met and married Martha E. Elkins.
Mr. Harrell authored or co-authored more than 60 scientific publications during his 30 years of productive service and he presented more than 40 scientific presentations during his tenure with ARS. Mr. Harrell was the senior scientist on six separate patents. Mr. Harrell was recognized as an expert in the mechanization of insect rearing and insect control. He was a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Mr. Harrell is survived by his three children and their spouses, Edsel A. Harrell, Jr. and wife Leatha of Flower Mound, Texas, Debbie Harrell of Nashville, Tennessee and Karen Smith and husband, Gregory of Saint Simons Island, Georgia; one sister, Ester Jones of Climax, Georgia; five grandchildren, Flint Harrell, Cliff Harrell, Glenn Harrell, Devon Conley and Erin Williamson; and three great-grandchildren, Ivey Harrell, Jaden Hunnicutt and Ronan Conley.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Salvation Army, 1205 U. S. Highway 82 East, Tifton, GA 31794; Brother Charlie’s Rescue Center, P. O. Box 7712, Tifton, GA 31793; or the Alzheimer’s Association, South GA Office, 225 East Second Street, Tifton, GA 31794.