Helen Ruth Harrison

Helen Ruth Purcell Harrison, age 87 of Morrow, Ga. passed away surrounded by her family at the Emory Hospice in Decatur about 3:35 pm, Friday, July 17, 2015, as a result of a massive stroke on Wed, July 15th. She was born in Franklin County, Ga. to the late Willie Dewey Purcell and Dorothy Aline Thomason Purcell. On July 20, 1946, she married the love of her life, Dan Harrison, and faithfully remained by his side for almost 69 years. They moved to the Atlanta area in 1957, and moved to their current home in Morrow, Ga, about 1973. Helen was a homemaker, but also ran a daycare in her home for many years. She was affectionately known as “Mama Helen” and her husband as “Daddy Dan”. Some of those children she kept over 40 years ago still maintain a relationship with Helen and Dan. Helen was an excellent homemaker who kept her home clean and neat and was a wonderful cook, which can be attested to by all who had the pleasure of eating her food. She was a gracious and generous host and made folks feel comfortable and welcomed. In her younger years she was an accomplished seamstress and made a lot of clothes for her family. She loved flowers and took pride in her outside flowers. She and her husband loved to travel in her younger days and visited at least 47 States in their car. She had souvenir coffee cups from every State in America. Helen will probably be best remembered for her unwavering faith in her Lord Jesus Christ and her determination to live EVERY day in a manner that would be pleasing to her Savior. Her husband can attest that EVERY day, she would get up and eat her breakfast and then sit in her chair and read her Bible. All of her family and many of her friends often referred to her as a “prayer warrior” because they knew that she was faithful in offering earnest prayers for her family and friends every day. She was faithful to her Lord, to her family and friends, and to her church (Bible Baptist of Henry County). She suffered with various pains and ailments for almost her whole life, especially with her back, but she always kept going and did those tasks and jobs she felt she should do. Her pain and suffering are over, and she is now equipped with a glorified body, worshiping her beloved Jesus Christ and waiting for her loved ones to join her. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Leon and Herman Purcell; three nephews, Glen Purcell, Millard Harrison and Tim Harrison; 6 brothers in law, Dwain, Carl, Cohn, Terrell, Tommy and Joe Harrison; 4 sisters in law, Elizabeth Fuller Harrison, Odessa Dorsey Harrison, Jewell Keeling Harrison and Lela Flanigan Harrison. Survivors include her husband, Dan Harrison; children, Dan Eugene Harrison, Sr. and his wife Marilyn Williams Harrison of Fayetteville, Ga., Connie Gail Bladine and her husband, Dennis Bladine of Stockbridge, Ga., Phillip Lynn Harrison of Knoxville, TN; grandchildren, April Harrison (Don) Stevens, Dan Eugene (Joni) Harrison, Jr., Lisa Joy (Ryan) Noffsinger, Cristie (Dwayne) Gunter, Erin Harrison (Jason) Ney, Clayton (Julie) Harrison, Becky Bladine, Mary Harrison (Weston) Wax; great grandchildren, Presley, Luke, Wrigley, Joshua, Abigail, Ava, Lydia, Manassie and Benjamin; siblings, Betty (Jack) Goolsby of Carnesville, Ga., Morris (Sara) Purcell of Tampa, FL; Brother in law, Marvin Harrison; 5 sisters in law, Linda Purcell, Ruth Smith Purcell, Sara McGahee Purcell, Minnie Rampy Harrison and Mary Hill Harrison; many nieces, nephews and cousins; 3 more great grandchildren due before the end of this year. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, July 25, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Bible Baptist Church in Hampton. Rev. Ken Chupp will officiate. Interment will follow at Fairview Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit the family Friday from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Contributions are asked to be made to the Bible Baptist Church in memory of Mrs. Harrison.