The Honorable Wallace E. Harrell

The Honorable Wallace E. Harrell, 91, of Brunswick, passed away at his home surrounded by family on January 21, 2024. He was a consummate gentleman who dedicated his life to his family and his profession. A native of Quitman, Georgia, he was the son of the late Wallace E. Harrell, an attorney and Georgia State Senator, and Bernadine H. Lilly, an excellent homemaker and teacher. After his father’s death, his mother married the late George R. Lilly, who was a Superior Court Judge in the Southern Judicial Circuit of Georgia.

During his youth in Quitman, Wallace attended the Brooks County Schools and lettered in multiple sports, including golf, football, basketball, baseball and track. He received a football scholarship to play at Georgia Military College from which he graduated at 19. He then followed the family legal tradition and graduated from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University at 22. While at Mercer, he served as student body president and editor-in-chief for the Mercer Law Review. After law school, he served his country as a first lieutenant in the Army and then moved to Brunswick, Georgia, where he joined the law firm of Reese, Bennet and Gilbert in 1956. He was named partner in the firm which subsequently became Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford and Martin and practiced there for over 60 years. After retirement from the firm, he was appointed and subsequently elected Glynn County Chief Magistrate Judge.

During Wallace’s legal career, he served as chairman of the Georgia Board of Bar Examiners and was honored for his years of service on the Court Advisory Committee of the Southern District of Georgia. He was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an organization that recognizes the top 1% of trial lawyers in the United States. He was honored by the State Bar of Georgia with the Tradition of Excellence Award. He received The Nestor Award, given by the Georgia Legal History Foundation, the award honors the state’s leading lawyers and judges.

Because of his formidable trial skills, he won hundreds of jury trials. Because of his high character, he won the respect of his colleagues. A generation of Brunswick lawyers looked to him as a mentor.

Wallace was an active member of Christ Church, Frederica, while living on St. Simons Island and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Brunswick, both of which he served as Senior Warden multiple times over the years. He lived his Christian faith by being a Christ follower, loving God with his heart, soul and mind, and his neighbor as himself. He enjoyed reciting from memory the Christmas story from Luke’s gospel, and in the last year, he recited it for all who would hear.

Wallace had a lifelong love of the game of golf and played with a single digit handicap for 40 years. He loved playing with family and friends. He won championships at Brunswick Country Club and Sea Palms, and he also enjoyed his memberships at Sea Island Golf Club and the Ocean Forest Golf Club. Wallace played the game of golf as he lived his life, he made it seem so easy to be great.

Wallace is survived by his wife, Mary Brown Harrell; his son, Wallace E. Harrell, III (Ann); his adopted child, Mary Helen Branch; stepchildren Lisa Snow (Mike), Richard Ivens (Lauren), and Webster Hill; grandchildren William P. Harrell, Jr., Zachary Harrell (Kate), Elizabeth Harrell Wallace (Austin), Laura Ann Harrell, Brooks Thompson, and Alex Hill; great grandchildren Brooklyn and Lila Harrell; nieces Jennifer Harrell Myrick (Kelly) and Beth Harrell Berss (Harvey); and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his brother Samuel T. Harrell and two sons, William P. Harrell and George L. Harrell.

A memorial service will be held at 11 o’clock a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 900 Gloucester Street, in Brunswick, Georgia, with Father Alan Ackridge and Reverend Darrell Joiner officiating.

Contributions may be made in Wallace’s honor to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1155, Brunswick, Georgia 31521. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.edomillerandsons.com for the Harrell family.