John Wilber Harrell

Born on November 1, 1932, in Little Rock, Arkansas, John was the youngest of six children. His parents owned a grocery business, where John spent much of his childhood helping with deliveries. The Harrell family was deeply involved in the Nazarene Church of Little Rock, instilling in John a lifelong foundation of faith and service.

At a young age, John answered the call of duty and served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean War. It was there that he learned the art of aviation maintenance—developing skills that would guide the rest of his professional life.

Following his service, John married the love of his life, Dorothy Jean Wooten. Together, they raised four children—three sons and a daughter—while building a life filled with love, faith, and adventure.

John dedicated over four decades of his career as an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and a short time with Bendix Corporation in Titusville, Florida. His gifted hands and brilliant mind contributed to countless space and lunar projects that shaped the course of modern space exploration. He loved sharing his knowledge and experiences with anyone who shared his passion for the stars.

Outside of work, John and Dorothy shared a love for travel. Their most memorable adventure was a 35-day “Around the World” trip in 1984, where they visited more than a dozen countries across Europe and Asia, keeping a detailed and treasured journal of their journey.

The Harrell family made their home in Glendora, California, throughout John’s working years. After Dorothy’s passing in 2017, John relocated not too many years later to Anderson, South Carolina, to be near his daughter and son-in-law.

John is survived by his daughter, Carol Downard and her husband, Mike; his son, Robert “Bob” Harrell and his wife, Charlene; as well as numerous beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His legacy includes his granddaughters, Beth Downard and Amy Tippitt, and Bob’s three children Lauren, Robbie, and Jessica. He was preceded in death by his first- and third-born sons, John David and Jim of whom left families of their own, carrying forward John and Dorothy’s love and legacy. First born, John David was blessed with two children: Jimmy and Jill and third son with five children: Brian, Kevin, Lisa, Timmy and Kristina.

In all, John and Dorothy were blessed with 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, each one a testament to their enduring love and faith-filled lives.

John will be remembered for his devotion to family, his love of discovery and space exploration, his commitment to hard work, and his faith. His life was one of service, curiosity, and love—a true reflection of a life well lived.