This thread is so interesting to the Harrell family.
Yes, my in-laws, H.M. Harrell, Jr. and his wife, Dee (formerly Girna "Dee" Duke Harrell), built the house and I knew Neuhaus & Taylor had designed it. I grew up with Harwood Taylor's children (and him of course being their father and his wife) - and you are right above when you say that it was not built exactly to the original design. I can't really remember the reason but I do remember that statement from Mrs. Harrell. Later, in junior high school, I met Achie Harrell, who is H.M. Harrell, III and currently lives in Austin, Texas. In my senior year of high school, we married and I became a constant family member going to my in-laws home every afternoon and they owned and built 4012 Willowick. We have 3 children, Wendy, Holly (who answered above) and Bradley. They are 52, 50 and 45 years old, respectively.
As Minyard3 brought up above, I had no idea anyone was still alive. I knew Randy Harrell was killed in the Vietnam War, not sure about Kenneth, I thought I heard he was killed also and so were Clayton and Byron Harrell who were Clayton Sr.'s children (Clayton was shot and killed in Mexico) and those boys were adopted by the H.M. Harrell, Sr.'s who were the original Harrell's in Houston on Courtland Place (Cortlandt Place?) and he was the gentleman who discovered the Bammel Oil Field and the originator of the money that came into this family - He sold 1/2 to Houston Natural Gas and kept the other 1/2 dividing it into 4 parts and giving 1/4th to each son ......He and Pearl Harrell are deceased as are her sisters, Rita and the other...not sure of her name as I never met her....Uncle Jim Harrell was a Rice University student and later married Nancy Nye (Nancy Nye Harrell) and they did not have children...they always lived in Tanglewood. I don't know whether she is alive or not - she would be in her 80's or 90's now...a wonderful person! Kenneth was married to Jacque Mossler's daughter who choked to death on a piece of meat at the dinner table leaving Kenneth to raise his 4-5 children...I believe he moved from River Oaks to his ranch with the children..(?) H.M. Harrell, Jr. and his wife, Dee, had two children, H.M. "Achie" Harrell, III and Olivia Harrell. Olivia was born with a brain tumor the size of an English Pea and it was inoperable. Due to the fact the location of the tumor caused Epilepsy she was put away in a school at 9 yrs. old and never returned to Houston - she worked in Austin the last I heard, but she is probably near 80 yrs. old now...Achie is 72 yrs. old, single and moved to Austin as he has another son by his second marriage named Blake...who also lives in Austin...
Achie (H.M. Harrell, III) worked in commercial real estate when we were married and because he owned his own airplane he loved to fly all of the time. After we sadly divorced, he went to work for Air Liquide and maintained that job until he retired... His father died at 47 years old (that was H.M. Harrell, Jr.) and he died of major organ collapse from alcoholism. He died in the locked ward of Methodist Hospital. He was a great man! I am positive he drank because of his daughter being retarded...so sad....and he and his wife never got over that part of their lives...Dee was a terribly depressed woman - more depressed after he died - and tried to kill herself by shooting herself in the heart with a 38 pistol.. She lived, and I heard she pulled herself out of all of that lifestyle and went back to playing bridge with friends in the last years of her life...she died around the age of 72-73? She and I would go back and forth because she was so ill - she tormented her son and I - she had no other interests......and it eventually destroyed us...her domineering motherhood and mental problems...oh my God!!
Anyway, I will check to see if Olivia is still alive and I know Achie is! I am not sure who Minyard3 is...I have tried to think who you are but not sure since you visited at Cortlandt Place - that was a long long time ago. So you are welcome to reach me at jgolden8@comcast.net or write me back or text or call me at 281-900-1002 as they have never adjusted to being cut out of the family by Dee Harrell. I have 6 little granddaughters who are your relatives too. Each of my children have 2 daughters - no sons...and they are very successful people...I am thrilled for them and myself as I devoted myself to raising my children and then seeing that the granddaughters were all taken good care of...
Are you one of Kenneth's children? Anyway, it was great to read this thread and I would love to connect you with your family because you have some neat individuals that would like to meet their family too. The mother, Dee, was so unsociable, an only child and an alcoholic too. all so sad..
Hope to be able to help you connect~~I know it has been several years since you posted this and I can only keep my fingers crossed...
All of my best, Jan Harrell Golden
