Robert Lee Harrell

Robert Lee Harrell, 98, was born on September 5, 1928, and entered eternal rest on September 12, 2026. He was the third child of the late Henry L. Harrell Sr. and Jimmie Lee Harrell of Ty Ty, Georgia. Robert passed away peacefully at the Harrell home, surrounded by the loving care of his wife and family.

He went to elementary school in Ty Ty, Georgia, then he moved to Eatonville, Florida to finish and graduated from Hungerford Vocational High School. Robert attended two years at Tuskegee Institute prior to joining the United States Air Force where he was stationed in Korea for four years and honorable discharged from Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio. Following his discharged he was employed as an airplane mechanic at the Republic Aircraft. He worked briefly at OSU before joining the City of Columbus Wastewater Sewage as a supervisor for 35 years

Robert accepted Christ at an early age. He served as a Steward at St Lawrence AME Church in Eatonville, FL and at St Mark AME Church in Columbus, Ohio. He also served as Trustee at Bethel AME Church in Columbus, Ohio and Trustee Chair at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Sanford, FL.

Robert and Dorothy united in matrimony on February 7, 1965, and from that union came a blended family of seven children. There was never a dull moment in the household. Friends loved to hang out at the Harrell house because there was lots of shared love. When springtime came, he enjoyed working in his garden and planting flowers. He also loved to go fishing, watch cowboy movies and looked forward to having family gatherings.

When Robert retired from the City of Columbus, he decided that he and his wife would return to a warmer climate which was their home state of Florida. There he began working for the Florida school system as a bus driver and volunteered for Meals on Wheels. After 31 yrs, this beautiful couple moved back to Columbus, Ohio to be with their children and grandchildren and became a disciple of Mt Olivet Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Eugene Gibson, Jr.

Robert was a man of integrity, who walked in faith and made daily choices by trusting in God and taught his children to make prayer a part of their life as well as spending time in the Bible. He was a strong quiet but firm and loving man who leaves behind a legacy of hard work and dedication.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Henry L. Sr. and Jimmie Lee Harrell; brothers, Henry L. Harrell Jr., Jimmy L. Harrell, and Ernest Harrell; sisters, Ruby Thomas, Ada Newberry, and Doris Mitchell; children, Alan Gene Jackson and Cynthia L. Hill; granddaughter, Justine Young-Harrell.

Survived by his lovely, devoted wife Dorothy Harrell; sons: Asa Jackson, Robert V (Jackie) Harrell, and Maurice V. Harrell; daughters: Dorinda Chestnut Conner, Roberta L. Harrell, and Shannon M. Harrell; grandchildren: Jonathan (Ebony) Conner, Craig Hatcher, Marylyn Harrell, Christopher Harrell, Sidney (John) Young, Sarai Acevedo, James Jackson, Christina Norvet, Taisha Johnson, and Trina Jackson; 16 great-grandchildren; brother: Allen (Ann) Harrell; sisters-in- law: Ethel Harrell and Sheryl (Scott) Thorne; brother-in-law: Charles Mitchell; special daughter: Dr. Linda Tillaman, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who loved him dearly.