Joab B. "Joe" Harrell, Jr., 88, of Abilene, passed away Wednesday, December 2, 2009. Visitation was held from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4th, at North’s Funeral Home, 242 Orange Street. Services were held Dec. 5th, at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at North’s Memorial Chapel. Burial was on Sunday, Dec. 6th, at Chappel Cemetery, in Chappel, Texas.

Joe was born February 6, 1921 in Chappel, in San Saba County, Texas to J.B. Harrell, Sr. and Zulah Abigail Harrell. After completing his public education at the age of fifteen, he enrolled in the School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering.

Joe joined the United States Coast Guard in 1942. Following graduation from the Coast Guard Academy and Diesel Engineering School in Groton, Connecticut, Lt. Harrell was assigned to the USS Northland, patrolling the waters of the far north Atlantic around Greenland and Iceland.

After leaving the service, Joe served as Area Engineer for Gulf Oil Corporation in its vast oil fields surrounding Odessa, Texas. He then worked for several years with M.E. Daniel in Breckenridge before joining Pat Dunigan in Abilene in 1957. While working with Dunigan, he served as a partner and officer in various ventures, including gas pipelines, oil and gas production and exploration, Pride Refining and the Baca Land and Cattle Company.

Joe married Marie Sullivan on July 28, 1940 in Lampasas, Texas. After 68 years of marriage, Marie died in November 2008. He and Marie were faithful members of the Abilene Bible Church for many years.

Joe was preceded in death by this parents; brothers, Frank Harrell and James William Harrell; sister, Gene Dysert; and wife, Marie.

He is survived by a son, Ron Harrell and his wife, Ronna of Abilene; daughter, Debbie Evans of Dallas; grandchildren, Lezli Harrell of Austin; Jason Harrell, Abby Evans Misegades, and Katy Evans, all of Dallas; great-grandchildren, Hannah and Henry Harrell of Dallas.

Online condolences may be sent to www.northsfuneralhome.com