Donald Wade Harwell

Funeral services were at 11:00 AM, Monday, November 23, 2015 in the Mausoleum Chapel of Crestview Memorial Park, with Pastor Melba Smith of Dallas officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Don was born November 5, 1941 in Terrell, Texas to the late John Hugh Harwell and Ida Mae Wood Harwell. He attended Texas A&M. He joined Lone Star Gas Company and was associated with it his entire professional career. After the merger with TXU, Don continued to work as a Regional Superintendent. He was known far and wide for his knowledge of gas line regulations and inspections. After retirement, he taught OQ Qualifications for Texas A&M. He continued to work in the gas industry as a consultant in both Abilene and Wichita Falls.

Don was a warm loving, husband, father, grandfather and brother in law. He was known for his kindness, wonderful stories, love of family and dominoes. He was an exceptional welder and built amazing things including a beautiful pipe fence around his five acres in Abilene. He was an ardent nature lover and thrived on watching roadrunners, birds and squirrels. A recent avocation was building beautiful personalized bird houses which were prized gifts by friends and family. There was never a repair that he could not conquer. He last home improvement was the installation of a squirrel spinner outside the sunroom.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Landon of Quinlan, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, Rachel Perkins Harwell of Lakeside City; daughters, Tamela Southan and her husband, Chris of Dallas; Wendy Harwell of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Tonya York of Hammond, Louisiana; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; brother, Jack Harwell of Maryland; nephew, David Harwell; nieces, Chris Manchester of Mudgee, Australia, Sheila Manchester of Montpelier, Vermont; as well as sister-in-law, Marlon Perkins Brown and her husband, Bruce of Lakeside City.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls