To surround the William Thomas (Tom) Harrell Jr., 86, of Sparta, Tenn. passed away Oct. 11, 2009. Harrell was born May 7, 1923, in Portsmouth, Va., to William Thomas Harrell Sr. and Jessie Credle Harrell. He was a retired major from the U.S. Marine Corps.
Harrell’s Marine Corps career included serving as combat correspondent of the 4th Marine Division, in the Pacific Theater, during World War II, until he was wounded in the battle of Saipan. He received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with a “V” for valor in combat. His tours of duty included Marine Corps headquarters, in Washington D.C., where he was a liaison between the division of information HQMC and its counterpart agencies in the Pentagon.
He was a Marine member of a joint service task group that developed the curriculum for the Defense Information School. He was the Marine representative at joint Atomic Energy Commission – Defense Department information office Las Vegas for Atomic exercises in 1957. He also served at the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, where he prepared lectures for junior and senior courses for the Amphibious Warfare School. He was a member of the Military Officers Association of America and the United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association.
After retirement, Tom and Betty moved to Key West, Fla., where they made their home until Betty passed away in 1996. He was a longtime resident of Key West. During his time there, he was one of the early owners of The Half Shell Raw Bar. He was an honorary Conch citizen of Key West.
Tom and Candy were married in 1998. They enjoyed happy years of travel and dividing their time between their homes in Sparta and Melbourne, Fla.
Mr. Harrell was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 43 years, Betty Lehman Harrell; and two sisters, Betty Lou Whitehead and Shirley Raymond.
Survivors include his wife, Candice Treadway Harrell, of Sparta; son, Chance Harrell and wife Daphne Harrell, of Ball Ground, Ga.; grandson, Chance Harrell II, of Davenport, Iowa; granddaughter, Lindsey Cunningham and husband, Andrew, of Ball Ground, Ga.; great-grandson, Samuel Haven Cunningham, of Ball Ground, Ga.; brother, Talmadge Harrell and wife Gerry, of Virginia Beach, Va.; brother, Don Harrell, of San Diego, Calif.; brother-in-law, Newell Whitehead, of Portsmouth, Va.; and many nieces and nephews.
Plans for the memorial service are incomplete at this time.
Oak Lawn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
