Beverly Ann Harrel

Beverly Ann Harrel, born February 13, 1938 in Bedford, Ohio, grew up with a doting multi-generational Italian family in a small duplex. She always said, “I feel so blessed to have been raised by them in a culture that was full of Italian traditions and of course, great Italian food.”

Her mother, Mary Delores Lalli, married John McLaughlin, and they moved to Twinsburg, Ohio, where he adopted her at age 9. At age 13 they moved to Krebs, Oklahoma. She attended McAlester High School and met two of her lifelong friends Anna Marie Horton and Charlene Doyle. At 18 she met a handsome Marine, Richard Harrel, and they married August 17, 1956. They had a small Italian family wedding complete with a spaghetti dinner afterwards. Richard pursued education getting his PhD in Biology, while Beverly raised their children Kellie, Terri, and Morgan Harrel.

In 1966 Richard began teaching at Lamar University in Beaumont. The family settled into the community, and Beverly developed lifelong friendships with Barbara Warren and Jolene Ortego, who were more like sisters by another mother. Although busy raising her children, she made it a priority to have a delicious meal on the table every night even when she went to college. In 1976 Beverly graduated from Lamar University. She was a Speech and Language Pathologist at Beaumont ISD for 26 years.

During her golden years she became involved in local art groups and won many awards for her watercolor paintings. She was the President of Gold Coast Arts Group, and a long-time board member at Beaumont Art League. Beverly looked forward painting every Wednesday with her artist friends. She was also a member off the Italian American Club and volunteered for Gift of Life. Beverly had a zest for life and loved to travel going on more than 30 cruises and frequented the casinos to play her favorite penny machines.

A strong woman, Beverly valiantly fought breast cancer three times, but it was too much for her body at the end. Her family is certain that she was being guided in her passing by her beloved daughter Kellie who passed unexpectedly in 2012, and her mother.

She is survived by her husband Richard Cunningham Harrel; her son Morgan Harrel; her daughter Terri Harrel and daughter-in-law Diane Hauser; son-in-law Don Martin, granddaughter Caitlin Linduff and husband Trent; granddaughter Lauren Hardman and husband Jed. In the last years of her life her greatest joy was seeing her great grandchildren Martin and Sandy Linduff, Kellie Rose and her namesake Beverly Ann Hardman. As she fought to stay healthy her motivation was to see her grandchildren and great grandchildren again. At the end of her battle, she was surrounded by all four great-grandchildren and family that loved her with great devotion.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home November 19 at 10:00AM. The family requires all who attend wear a face mask for the safety and comfort of all guests. Beverly believed that the Julie Rogers Gift Of Life Program was an important organization providing free mammograms for medically underserved women and providing hope for breast cancer survivors. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Gift of Life at Giftoflifebmt.org.