Dennis Eugene Harrel

Dennis (Denny) Eugene Harrel was born on March 2, 1946. He departed this life on August 4, 2025. He was born in Liberal, KS, the son of Gene Hale and Eula May (Bolinger) Hale. He graduated from Valley Center High School in 1964 and attended Cowley County Junior College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he played both football and track. Even in his final weeks, he was always willing to talk about the fact that he still holds the single season record for touchdown passes at Cowley County (his story and it has not been verified). He taught and coached in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas for most of the next 50 years with brief excursions for real estate, stock brokerage, and college coaching. His love for sports never waned. Very recently he announced that he needed to get back in shape to be ready for the 80+ age group in the senior track circuit. There is no way to know how many softball games, basketball games, tennis matches, and golf rounds he participated in. He also made a lifetime hobby of playing and singing music. He never quite managed to form the supergroup with his kids that he planned for a decade or two, but he continued to play with anyone willing till the end. Very few stories from any period of his life were without animals. There is no way to count the number of animals he fostered or took in, but it would include dogs, cats, possums, goats, horses, and a few small rodents. He is preceded in death by his parents. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Roberts Funeral Home. Denny is survived by five brothers- Dave Hale, Doug Hale, Jeff Hale, all of Liberal, KS, Deric Harrel of Vinita, OK, and David Harrel of Spartanburg, SC; one sister - Ronda Hale of Liberal, KS; six children – Casey Harrel (Brenda) and their children of Booneville, AR, Scott Harrel (Elana) and their children of Pottsville, AR, Stephanie Bates (Larry) of Pryor, OK, Dalton Harrel of Fayetteville, AR, Dylan Heath of Van Buren, AR, and Taylor Heath of Booneville, AR: eight grandchildren – Jacob, Courtney, Chelsie, Bryce, Cody, KhyLeigh, Brennan, and Kira; and ten great grandchildren – Damari, Noah, Landry, RhyLynn, Hayden, Baylea, Brax, Hollyn, Hattie, and Brooksie. A Celebration of Life for Denny will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 1:00 pm at Casey and Brenda Harrel's house. Family and friends are invited. www.robertsfh.com