Stephen Henry Harrell, of St. Regis Dr., Burlington took transitioned from this life on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Steve was born in Mullins, SC to the late Jasper William Harrell and Lou Ellen Harrell Norris, also deceased. Burlington, NC is where he spent his youth, raised by his mother, Lou Ellen and stepfather, Winfred Lee Norris (aka. Wint), deceased. Life with three brothers and a sister made life interesting. Steve was preceded in death by his bothers William McIver Harrell and Charles Herbert Harrell. He is survived by his brother John Edward Harrell of Chapel Hill and his sister, Betty Jean Norris of Burlington, NC.
Steve’s final years were spent with Betty where they became one heck of a brother-sister duo taking care of each other. Betty was not only his sister but his supporter who knew how to straighten him out when he needed a good attitude adjustment. Steve also became close to Betty’s daughter, Billi, her husband, Chris, and their children Alissa & Aubrey while spending time with them often, including Sunday lunch. He is survived by many other nieces and nephews, most notably, nephew Mark Harrell and his daughter, Natalie.
At the age of 73 he had a long life of many ups and downs, but through it all he was a caring man who loved to joke around with those he loved. Steve enjoyed his time at home and took pride in “taking care of things” around the house. He spent his career in commercial construction and was a skilled carpenter. Those skills allowed him to help many of his family and friends with various projects throughout his life.
Steve had three children with his former wife, Debbie, who grew up learning to build from their dad. He was instrumental in building their family home from the ground up where his young children would stay busy hammering nails into the sub-floor, which he would have to remove daily. Steve’s influence resulted in children who grew up to choose careers related to construction and building things with their hands. He is preceded in death by his son, Nathan Harrell and survived by his daughter, Dana Herman (Josh) and Chris Harrell (Rachel). Steve leaves behind four grandchildren, Natalie, Cade, Audrey & Lillian with two more babies on the way.
A family visitation to celebrate his life will be held this Saturday, May 22, 2021 from 3-5 pm at Rich & Thompson Funeral Home, Burlington, NC. Please come and share your favorite stories about Steve with the family. We ask that everyone in attendance follow social distancing guidelines and wear a mask while indoors.
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