On July 27, 2020, George Kelly Harwell died at his home in Birmingham, Alabama, approximately 42 months after suffering strokes following knee replacement surgery and enduring subsequent health problems. Kelly was born on February 21, 1949 at UVA Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, and was the son of Edward E. and Ruth Y. Harwell of Orange, Virginia.
Kelly grew up in Orange and attended Grymes Memorial School, Woodberry Forest School, and Duke University. He excelled academically at all three schools. During school breaks, he worked for Harwell Construction Company, Inc. At both Woodberry and Duke, he played lacrosse.
With his degree in civil engineering from Duke, Kelly embarked on a career in engineering that took him all over the world. In Egypt, he took over the supervision of a large dam under construction and corrected
the errors of Soviet engineers. Immediately following the 9/11/2001 terror attacks, he went to New York for approximately a year and supervised renovation of damaged buildings. Over the years, other engineers expressed laudatory comments about his expertise, advice, and willingness to assist others.
In his spare time, Kelly enjoyed kayaking on rivers in Alabama and Tennessee as well as attending races at Talladega. He worked hard and played hard.
Kelly is survived by his loving companion, Melanie Lackowski (Chelsea, Alabama); his brother, Edward Eugene Harwell, Jr, (Warrenton, Virginia); his former wife, Fran Freeman Harwell; his brother-in-law, Bill Heldreth; and nephews and nieces, John, David, Elizabeth, and Kate Heldreth. Kelly was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Ruth Ann Harwell Heldreth.
Many thanks go out to Kelly's caregiver Sandra Hutchins, with whom he felt a special bond.
Family and friends are invited to A Memorial Gathering for Kelly Harwell from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at Ridout's Southern Heritage Funeral Home in Pelham, AL.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18