Greville Machell

1929 - 2016

Greville Machell
Greville Machell passed away on Thursday, October 13, 2016. He was born on November 19, 1929, in Blackburn, England. He loved conducting home experiments as a boy and earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at London University at age 22. Greville served as an officer in the RAF, where he taught science and math.
Greville immigrated to America with his wife and four children in 1961. He worked at Milliken in Spartanburg, S.C., and LaGrange, Ga., for 33 years. During his career, he traveled extensively in Europe, Russia and Asia. One of his greatest joys was mentoring young chemists in the latter years of his career.
Greville was an avid train fan his whole life. From his years of photographing and rail fanning as a boy, to years of model railroading, to building a garden railroad at his home in Campobello, S.C., trains were his passion. He loved watching his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren riding his garden railroad and driving the engine and handcar. Greville wrote several articles on garden railroading and bridge-building that were published in model railroading magazines. Greville was also an accomplished woodworker and self-taught weaver.
Greville resided at Franke at Seaside in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., since August 2014. We are grateful to the loving staff at Franke for their care. We would also like to thank Laura Walker of St. Luke's Hospital in Columbus, N.C., and Mary Lou McInerny, a friend of the family.
Greville is survived by his former wife, Barbara Machell, of Cumming, Ga., son Simon Machell (Ann) of Cumming, Ga., daughter Bridget Machell of West Point, Ga., daughter Zoe Thompson (Joe) of Flat Rock, N.C., son Adam Machell of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his grandson, Sam Thompson.
A service celebrating the life of Greville Machell will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2016, at a location to be determined in Hendersonville, N.C. For further details, please email GrevilleMachellMemorial@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations please be sent to Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org) or the National Railway Historical Society (www.nrhs.com).
Condolences may be made at www.AshevilleMortuary
Services.com