Elwood L. Harrell, Jr.

Obituary for Elwood Louis Harrell, Jr.

Elwood Louis Harrell, Jr. was born on March 29, 1933, to Reverend Elwood Louis Harrell, Sr. and Clara (Porter) Harrell, in Steelton, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of six children.

He attended Hygienic Elementary School. He graduated from Swatara Township High School where he excelled in sports. He later attended Thompson College, where he majored in accounting and business administration. After college, he worked with the former New Cumberland Army Depot. Elwood served in the U.S. Army where he was assigned to the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAL) base in Anchorage, Alaska.

He played professional baseball with the Harrisburg Giants of the Negro Baseball Leagues until that team was disbanded in 1958. He was a sports enthusiast throughout his life. He worked with the Glidden Paint Company where he rapidly climbed the ranks to color coordinator/salesman. He earned distinction as a number one professional color coordinator salesman in the Eastern Region. He continued to receive numerous awards until his retirement from Glidden in 1995.

As a member of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church for more than 70 years, he served in various ministries. Over the years, he was a member of the Memorial Choir, Vice President of the Senior Usher Ministry, Vice President of the Concerned Men's Ministry, a member of the Men's Chorus, and a member of the Trustee Ministry.

Elwood was a life member of the Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers. His membership and support for other organizations included the NAACP, the National Rifle Association—where he was nominated for the League of Honor Award, the American Legion, the Long Drivers Club, and the Swatara Township High School Alumni Association.

Elwood was also a Mason. His Masonic roles included former Master of Paxton Lodge #16, where he served as Worshipful Master for two years. He was Worshipful Master of the Year in the Fifth District where Paxton Lodge was voted the Outstanding Lodge of the Year in the Fifth District.

He was preceded in death by his wife Sarah (Barnes) Harrell, his wife Wilma Ann (Bryant) Harrell, three sisters Ethel (Harrell) Byrd, Mary Hadley, Ruth Roberts, and two brothers Raleigh Harrell and Eugene Harrell. He is survived by his daughters Sheila Tapscott (James) and Elyonda McKenzie (John,) his son Louis “Rick” Harrell (Terri,) a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and special nieces Teri (William) Pritchett and Toni Logan Lozama.