Loss of a Special Man

The James and Jennifer Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence is sad to announce that Jim Harrell has passed away. The following obituary describes the life of a special man who, with his wife Jennifer, over the years contributed time, energy, and financial support for the Harrell Center at the College of Public Health.

James Harrell - (Pensacola News Journal)

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JAMES NOBLE HARRELL
1924-2007

James Noble Harrell, 83, of Tampa and Sarasota, died July 7, 2007, at Tampa, Florida. Born on January 11, 1924, in Selma, Alabama, he grew up in Thomaston, Alabama, as the fourth son of a country doctor. His high school education was in Pensacola and he graduated from Pensacola High School in 1942. Before joining the Army Air Force, he attended Northwestern University. In 1943, as part of the Army Specialized Training Program, he attended Virginia Military Institute. In 1944 and 1945, he served with the 351st Heavy Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force as a B-17 gunner and radar countermeasures operator completing 28 missions over Germany. As a result of illness, he was not aboard his plane, 17 and MISSLEDD, on the mission when it was shot down, and he completed his service with another crew.

After the War, he attended the University of California at Berkeley and the Sorbonne (University of Paris). For several years he resided in Hong Kong and worked for a small airline with routes in the Far East. Thereafter, he was employed in the hotel business for many years, primarily with InterContinental Hotels as Vice President in charge of sales. During these years, he traveled the world extensively and resided at various times in New York, London, Tahiti and San Francisco. After tiring of travel, he became involved in the health care business with his brother, Stan Harrell, and helped to build and to take public their company, Pharmacy Management Services, Inc. Thereafter, he was involved with various philanthropic causes, including The James and Jennifer Harrell Center for the Study of Domestic Violence at University of South Florida and The Jim Harrell Poetry Scholarship Awards.
Jim Harrell had a searching intellect and a soaring spirit. His memory was the repository of the experiences of an unusual and very interesting life. He was an accomplished and acclaimed poet, playwright and novelist. His poem concerning the bombing of Dresden, February Mission, has been described as one of the most powerful poems to come out of World War II. He was the author of several books, including Death of a Lizard and Other Poems; February Mission and Other Poems and Plays and Their Last Ten Miles, a novel concerning the last days of the Civil War and the Battle of Selma. He continued to write until his final incapacitation.

Jim is survived by his wife, Jennifer Mary Watt Harrell, and his two daughters, Meredith Norfleet Harrell and Sarah Serena Harrell; and by his brother and sister, Cecil Stanford Harrell and Carolyn Finley. He was preceded in death by three of his brothers, Dr. William Bedwell Harrell, John Daniel Harrell and Joe Jackson Harrell.

A memorial service was held at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, (in Pensacola, Fl) on Friday, July 13, 2007, at 2:00 p.m. BAYVIEW MEMORIAL was in charge of arrangements.

The family requested that memorial contributions be made to The James and Jennifer Harrell Center, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33612-3807, or a charity of your choice.