Dale was born July 24, 1937, at the Company Hospital, in Bauxite, Arkansas, to William Odie Harrell and Clovis Juanita (Duncan) Harrell. He was their first child.
Dale moved to Texas as a young child and started first grade in Texas City, Texas. When he was in the fifth grade, he and his family moved back to Bryant, Arkansas, where he finished his schooling and education and graduated from Bryant High School. He attended University of Arkansas for three years. He was active in sports and clubs and spent a lot of his time reading Encyclopedias.
When he was 15, he and two of his best friends decided to travel and follow the wheat harvest. He had four dollars in his pocket and a check. They spent time hitchhiking and sleeping in a dump truck, around other adventures. By the time they caught up to the wheat harvest, they found the friend’s grandma, where they had a good meal and a good night sleep and then the next day, turned around and went back home.
Dale and Betty had their first date when she was age 14 and Dale was 16. They were united in marriage on December 1, 1957. Of this union came three children: Garry, Shelly, and Craig.
Dale enjoyed being around home and spending time with family. He was the “World’s Greatest Handyman.” In early marriage, he worked as a draftsman and then went two years to Seminary in Henderson, TX. He started a mission church where he was the pastor in Bedford, TX. Later, he went on to pastor two other churches, one in San Antonio, TX, and in MWC, OK at Highland Park Baptist Church. He and Betty resided here for over 10 years after he stopped pastoring churches, and their children became settled here with their own families.
Dale is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Duncan and Fred.
Leaving to cherish his memory is his wife of 68 years, Betty Lou Harrell; children, Garry Dale Harrell, Shelly J Bell, Craig D Harrell (Sheri); grandchildren, Phillip, Matthew and wife Bobbi, Dallas and husband Lloyd, Denver, Kaitlin, Dakota, Dayton and wife Carla; great-grandchildren, Emily, Anthony, Nick,Tyler, Lauren, Haley, Sidni, Mattilyn, Marisa, Bryson, and Elizabeth; Great-grandchildren, Ryker, and Phoebe; "bonus" grandchildren, Duncan Wallace and wife Felicia; and great-grandchildren, Addylyn and Charlotte; one brother, Jerry Harrell; and one sister, Patricia Mae Harrell; sister-in-law, Judy Harrell; "bonus" family, Pam Harrell.
