Sarah Harrell

Sarah Gay Harrell, age 84, went to be with her Heavenly Father on January 4, 2023. She was born August 17, 1938, in Burlington, NC to Vestal and Etta Agnus Simerson but growing up called Norfolk, VA home. She attended Mars Hill College for 2 years and graduated from Wake Forest University (1960) with a degree in Religious Education. She then attended Southern Baptist Seminary for her master’s degree.

After graduation, she moved to Wilmington for her first official job at Temple Baptist church where she met L.B. Harrell, Jr. (her husband of 35 years) and his 3 children. The two married on July 4th, 1965, and had a son together, Kevin, in 1967. The family made their home in College Acres and Sarah resided there for 51 years before moving in 2018. L.B. Harrell, Jr passed in May 2000.

She was fortunate to meet her 2nd love, Gary Bradford. They shared 14 years together until his passing in 2016. They enjoyed spending time together daily, talking over meals, and traveling when physically able. He was a huge supporter of her adventurous nature.

Sarah was a sweet, unique, talented, and faithful woman who was actively involved in the church. She shared her gifts and talents over the years with multiple Wilmington churches, including Temple Baptist, Winter Park Baptist and College Acres Baptist. She enjoyed attending Sunday services, teaching bible study during the week, singing in the choir, and lived her life true to her faith in God. There are numerous stories of her supporting others; friends, family, and even strangers as she believed she had a blessed life and God allowed her the ability to help those in need.

Sarah was an active volunteer in the community in her younger years; PTA’s, voting stations, NHRMC, church, kid’s sports teams, anywhere she felt she could contribute. She retired from New Hanover County after 20+ years working in various administrative roles. Sarah was also a substitute teacher for many years in the New Hanover County School system. She was a great scrabble player with an extensive vocabulary, loved card games and playing rummy cube. She was actively involved in her kids’ sports, attending basketball and baseball games along with travel tournaments over the years. She enjoyed watching NASCAR and ACC basketball.  She was a Wake Forest fan for life, so living in a house full of UNC fans was always fun come basketball season, but she managed it well.

During retirement, Sarah enjoyed sweepstakes and attending the sweepstakes conventions. With this hobby, she enjoyed winning free trips to New York, California, Indianapolis, London, and many other places. You would always find her filling out 3x5 entry cards in her spare time and said on many occasions she was one 3x5 card away from a big trip. Traveling with different church groups and being on standby if an extra traveler was needed was something she loved as well.

Sarah was a stand-up comedian later in life performing for churches and the NC Senior Games under the stage name, Minnie Opal. In 2017 she won a local contest and traveled to Raleigh at 79 years of age to perform her comedy routine on stage to hundreds of people in the audience in the state finals. She really enjoyed performing and making people laugh and was good at it.

In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her grandson, Scott Teague.

Sarah is survived by her daughters, Jo Anne Harrelson (Clarence) and Melissa Insco (Billy); sons, L.B. (Pat) Harrell, III (Teresa) and Kevin Harrell (Bobbi), her sister Carolyn Bullock and 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews too many to list at this time.

To honor Sarah, please join the family Saturday, January 21, 2023, at Andrews Market Street Chapel at 1617 Market Street, Wilmington, NC. Visitation with the family will begin at 10:30 a.m. with service to follow at 11:30 a.m. A graveside service will immediately follow at Oakdale Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to College Acres Baptist Church.