February 10, 2022, 87, Mount Olive –
Mary Lois Williams Harrell was born on 8/31/34 in Wayne Co., NC to Charlie Edgar and Cora Vann Williams and lived most of her life in Mt. Olive, NC. She went to her heavenly home on 2/10/22 in Wilmington, NC. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Milford Jordan Harrell, her six older siblings and their spouses: Myrtie (Murray) Sullivan, Leslie “Buddy” (Mae) Williams, Ethel (John) Pridgen, Harvey (Elizabeth) Williams, Sallie (Myarl) Rose, and Charles (Marie and Dorothy) Williams, and brother- and sister-in-law Gordon and Kay Harrell.
Survivors include her son, Keith Harrell and wife, Mary of Mt. Olive, her daughter, Marie and husband, Jim Warren of Wilmington, and granddaughter, Coralie Warren of Charleston, SC; and brother and sister-in-laws Clark and Hilda Harrell of Mt. Olive and Betty and Bill Yount of Chapel Hill. She also had many nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends that were very special to her.
She graduated from Nahunta High School and Wayne Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. Early in her career, she worked at the Henderson-Crumpler Clinic in Mt. Olive and later retired from Medical Park Nursing Center in Mt. Olive. Being a nurse was a ministry to her. She was a member of Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church and worshiped there most of her adult life. Her service and support through the years included teaching Sunday School and Women’s Auxiliary Ministries. She was an active school volunteer as her children were growing up and served her community many years through American Red Cross bloodmobiles including donating multi-gallons of blood.
Mary Lois loved Jesus, family, flowers, and talking. She was an excellent cook, known especially for baking “tea cakes”. She followed the footsteps of her mother and sister, Myrtie, for several years by selling her goods at the Curb Market in Goldsboro, NC. Her ability to remember dates, especially birthdates, was uncanny and still good in recent times. Her story-telling and memories of family history will be truly missed.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, February 14, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church in Mt. Olive with the Reverend Paul Rose officiating. The family will receive friends after the service. Burial will be on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 10:30 am in Wayne Memorial Park.
Mary Lois always had a special love and concern for the elderly. She once had a bumper sticker on her car that read “Love is Ageless – Visit a Nursing Home Resident”. If you’re able, consider doing that as a way to remember her and honor her family. Memorials may be made to Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church, c/o Clark Harrell, 463 Harrell’s Hill Road, Mt. Olive, NC 28365.
Shumate-Faulk Funeral Home is serving the Harrell family and online condolences may be directed to www.shumate-faulk.com.
