Lela Mae Melvin Harrell

HARRELLS - Mrs. Lela Mae Melvin Harrell, 74, of Harrells died at N.C. Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007. A graveside service will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Harrells Cemetery, with the Rev. Tim Register officiating. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Siloam Baptist Church. Born in 1932 in Sampson County, Mrs. Harrell was the daughter of the late Raymond Herring and Mallie Olivia Garner Melvin. She was the widow of Billy Niles Harrell. She was a lifelong member of Siloam Baptist Church, where she served as church clerk, Sunday-school teacher and past president of the WMU. She was a 1955 graduate of Meredith College and received her master's degree in library science from East Carolina University. Mrs. Harrell was a retired educator with the Sampson County Schools. She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa sorority and a past member of the Sampson Community College board of trustees. She was the Sampson County recipient of the Governor's Volunteer Award for 1988. She is survived by two daughters, Liz and husband Bob Newell of Winston-Salem, and Caroline and husband Ned Garber of Fayetteville; a son, Niles and wife Linda Harrell of Cary; two sisters, Mollie Ward of Rose Hill and Betty Gray Sanderson of Harrells; five grandchildren, Will and Lela Newell, Molly and Cy Garber, and Lizzie Harrell. She was preceded in death by a sister, Sara Melvin Riley. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Royal-Hall Funeral Home and other times at her home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Siloam Baptist Church, P.O. Box 110, Harrells, NC 28444; or to Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27607, Att: Jane Mitchell. Online condolences may be sent to www.royalhall.funeralhome.com.