Frances Allen Harrell

1916 - 2014

Frances Allen Harrell

Frances Allen Harrell, 98, died on September 21, 2014, in Tallahassee, Florida. Frances was born at home, in Caney Spring, Tennessee, on July 26, 1916. Raised on a dairy farm, she spent her childhood riding ponies and enjoying the outdoors. Frances trained as a nurse at both Davidson County Tuberculosis Hospital and Nashville General Hospital, receiving her degree in May 1937. She then attended Peabody College, where she undertook post-graduate training in public health nursing. It was during her nursing training that she met Henry Lytle Harrell, a medical student at Vanderbilt who served as an instructor for the nursing program. Frances and Lytle married on November 27, 1937, at Allenwood, her family's farm. The newlyweds then moved to Cumpressco, Florida, where Lytle and Frances began work as the doctor and nurse for lumber camp employees and their families. In 1939, Frances and Lytle, with their infant son, moved to Ocala, Florida, where Lytle opened his medical practice. Frances continued to work side-by-side with him, frequently joining him on house calls and home deliveries throughout Marion and surrounding counties.

Lytle, who had joined ROTC while in college, was activated into the Florida National Guard in 1941 and he and Frances soon relocated to Galveston, Texas, where Lytle's unit was stationed. With the advent of WWII, Lytle was transferred to the Army Medical Corps, leading to a series of moves for the young family. Between 1942 and 1945, Frances and the children followed Lytle to Army camps in Key West, Florida; Portland, Maine; and Columbia, South Carolina -- with intervening moves back to Caney Spring when Lytle was deployed in California, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Europe.

As soon as the war ended, Lytle, Frances, and their three young children moved back to Ocala, where Frances and Lytle built Lytle's medical practice and added three more children to their family. When the youngest of the six children reached school age, Frances' role as an occasional substitute nurse and office manager evolved into a full-time job managing Lytle's office. Many of Lytle's patients referred to her as "Dr. Frances."

Lytle and Frances were active members of Ocala First United Methodist Church, as well as in the community at large, where they built many strong, lifetime friendships. Once the children were raised and launched, Frances and Lytle enjoyed wonderful trips around the U.S. and throughout the world. In 2008, five years after Lytle's death, Frances moved to Tallahassee, where two of her three daughters lived. A third daughter soon relocated there, as well.

Always a farm girl at heart, Frances loved growing things and was known for her beautiful and productive yard, which included not only lush flowers but also vegetables and fruit and nut trees. She also loved fishing and impressed many a grandchild with her proficiency at gutting a fish. She and Lytle spent many happy afternoons and evenings fishing off the dock at Lake Weir or fishing in the Gulf with friends. She was a huge Atlanta Braves fan, even staying up way past her bedtime to watch their games against West Coast teams. Most of all, Frances loved her family, including not only Lytle, their six children, grandchildren, and - most recently - great-grandchildren, but also her large extended family back in Tennessee. Hers was a life well lived.

Frances is predeceased by her parents, Will and Lennie Allen; her husband, Lytle; her son, Jim; her brothers, Bill Allen and Edwin Allen; and her sister, Sara Neill. She is survived by her children and children-in-law, Hank and Linda Harrell (Ocala); Elaine and Jim McConnaughhay (Tallahassee); Frank and Claudia Harrell (New Albany, Indiana); Marti and Brent Chumbler (Tallahassee); Susan and Paul Robinson (Tallahassee); and Marion Harrell (Silver Spring, Maryland). She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, many loving cousins, nieces, and nephews, and other extended family and friends.

Frances' family wishes to give special thanks to Yolanda Denson who cared for our mother as if she were her own.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, Ocala, Florida, on Saturday, September 27, 2014, followed by a reception in the Family Life Center. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Marion Senior Services/Meals on Wheels, 1101 SW 20th Court, Ocala, Florida 34470; or to First United Methodist Church, 1126 E Silver Springs Blvd Ocala, Florida 34471.