James Edward Harrell

THIS IS HIS LIFE

The hourglass, with its sands of time, has slowly but surely spilled its contents, and with the passing of the last sand, without turning back to bid us farewell went the life of our loved one.

Many people look at death as a sad occasion, but the death of a Christian is a glorious time, for God has said so, and the psalmist in Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

Brother James. E. Harrell was born July 10, 1949, in Monroe, Louisiana, to the union of the late Nathaniel E. Harrell and the late Leneva Riser Harrell. At the tender age of ten, James professed a hope in Christ as his personal Saviour and was baptized at Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Grayson, Louisiana, at the pond of his great-uncle, Deacon Wilson “Buddy” Compton, under the pastoral leadership of the late Reverend E.D. Nation. He was a faithful and active member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church until moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1967, where he united with the Pilgrim Rest M.B.C. under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Leroy B. Mixon. He served in many capacities during his Christian life, among them: Usher ministry, Sunday School teaching, administrative ministry, trustee ministry, and deacon ministry. He returned to Grayson, Louisiana, in 1991.

He received his formal education in the Caldwell Parish school system. He began his higher education with the Milwaukee Area Technical College, culminating with a graduate degree from the Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In 1978, he was united in holy matrimony with the late Mrs. Bertha Lee Tate Harrell.

He departed this life on Friday, September 12, 2025. Left to remember him are his brother, Herman Harrell of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and sisters, Dianne Bennett of Monroe, Louisiana, and Theresa M. (Ralph) Engl of Grayson, Louisiana. He was greatly loved and will be missed by a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law, Christian family, coworkers, neighbors, acquaintances, and extended family members and friends.

James was preceded in death by his sister, Linda Lee Harrell, and brothers, Michael Anthony Harrell and John Edward Harrell.

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