MSgt Albert Jay Harrel, USAF (Ret), 82 of O'Fallon, IL, born August 17, 1929 in Vicksburg, IN, died Monday, October 17, 2011 following a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Jay was a member of Central Christian Church in O'Fallon, the American Legion, VFW, Masonic Lodge 576, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served on occupation duty in Japan at the end of WWII. Following his U.S. Army service, Jay enrolled in college to become a teacher back in Indiana, but his father's unexpected, accidental death prompted him to return to military service--this time in the U.S. Air Force--to support his mother and sisters, which he did faithfully and unselfishly until his marriage in 1962. Jay later served in Japan, Korea, Greenland, Norway, and he had four assignments at Scott AFB allowing him to remain close to his widowed mother in southern Indiana. His Norway assignment facilitated meeting his future bride, Una Aabo of Aarhus, Denmark, and they arrived in O'Fallon with their infant son in 1964.
Jay had a natural talent for electronics maintenance and after 21 years of honorable military service he retired from the U.S. Air Force as a master sergeant in 1968. In 1969, when Jay was 40 years old, a much anticipated daughter was born to Jay and Una. He went on to a second electronics maintenance career, this time with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Louis, and retired in 1991. His hard work ensured his two children had an opportunity he didn't--to go to college. His son, Dane served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as a Colonel. His daughter, Suzanne, graduated from Auburn University and taught for several years as a special education teacher.
There wasn't a job Jay couldn't do; building his mother's first indoor bathroom, stringing barbed wire fence, building a cow shed, maintaining his own cars, restoring a dormant well. He always worked hard--because he had always been self-reliant--and he never complained. Photos of Jay with stringers of Norwegian trout and stringers of catfish, bass, and crappie from Sportsmen's, Washington County, Carlyle, and other local lakes are testament to how much he enjoyed fishing. They also attest to his fishing prowess. Jay was also known for his abundant backyard vegetable garden, and took particular pleasure in giving away the fruits of his garden labors.
Jay enjoyed family camping trips and long walks with his family in O'Fallon's wooded areas and around Sportsmen's Lake. He knew where the morel mushrooms were hiding and he shared wild grapevine swings with neighborhood children--to their delight. In his later years he enjoyed taking walks on the streets near his and Una's home.
Jay was a soft-spoken, unassuming man with a wonderful sense of humor, and he always had a kind word and an equally kind gesture for others He also never met a dog he didn't like, and every dog liked Jay. Even in the last few weeks of his life, he sang to his loving wife Una daily and he always, always told his family he loved them and was proud of them. Before his speech waned, Jay made a point of saying he tried to be kind to others. He was! Jay walked with Jesus Christ throughout his life and was blessed by almost 50 years of marriage to Una, and by over 40 years of close friendship with the Burrough, Lovett, McIntosh, Riley and Boyd families.
He was preceded by his parents Geurnard and Lillian Mae, nee Burnett, Harrel.
Jay is survived by his loving wife, Una, nee Aabo, Harrel of O'Fallon, whom he married on December 2, 1961, a son Dane E. (Gillian) Harrel and their son Adam, all of O'Fallon, a daughter Suzanne E. (George E.) Chapman and their children Emily, Graham and Aaron Chapman all of Cumming, GA, a sister, Jessie Lee Myers and husband Bob Hudson of Riverside, California, and many dear and special friends.
Memorials in honor of Jay may be made to Central Christian Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Jay was a member of Central Christian Church in O'Fallon, the American Legion, VFW, Masonic Lodge 576, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served on occupation duty in Japan at the end of WWII. Following his U.S. Army service, Jay enrolled in college to become a teacher back in Indiana, but his father's unexpected, accidental death prompted him to return to military service--this time in the U.S. Air Force--to support his mother and sisters, which he did faithfully and unselfishly until his marriage in 1962. Jay later served in Japan, Korea, Greenland, Norway, and he had four assignments at Scott AFB allowing him to remain close to his widowed mother in southern Indiana. His Norway assignment facilitated meeting his future bride, Una Aabo of Aarhus, Denmark, and they arrived in O'Fallon with their infant son in 1964.
Jay had a natural talent for electronics maintenance and after 21 years of honorable military service he retired from the U.S. Air Force as a master sergeant in 1968. In 1969, when Jay was 40 years old, a much anticipated daughter was born to Jay and Una. He went on to a second electronics maintenance career, this time with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Louis, and retired in 1991. His hard work ensured his two children had an opportunity he didn't--to go to college. His son, Dane served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as a Colonel. His daughter, Suzanne, graduated from Auburn University and taught for several years as a special education teacher.
There wasn't a job Jay couldn't do; building his mother's first indoor bathroom, stringing barbed wire fence, building a cow shed, maintaining his own cars, restoring a dormant well. He always worked hard--because he had always been self-reliant--and he never complained. Photos of Jay with stringers of Norwegian trout and stringers of catfish, bass, and crappie from Sportsmen's, Washington County, Carlyle, and other local lakes are testament to how much he enjoyed fishing. They also attest to his fishing prowess. Jay was also known for his abundant backyard vegetable garden, and took particular pleasure in giving away the fruits of his garden labors.
Jay enjoyed family camping trips and long walks with his family in O'Fallon's wooded areas and around Sportsmen's Lake. He knew where the morel mushrooms were hiding and he shared wild grapevine swings with neighborhood children--to their delight. In his later years he enjoyed taking walks on the streets near his and Una's home.
Jay was a soft-spoken, unassuming man with a wonderful sense of humor, and he always had a kind word and an equally kind gesture for others He also never met a dog he didn't like, and every dog liked Jay. Even in the last few weeks of his life, he sang to his loving wife Una daily and he always, always told his family he loved them and was proud of them. Before his speech waned, Jay made a point of saying he tried to be kind to others. He was! Jay walked with Jesus Christ throughout his life and was blessed by almost 50 years of marriage to Una, and by over 40 years of close friendship with the Burrough, Lovett, McIntosh, Riley and Boyd families.
He was preceded by his parents Geurnard and Lillian Mae, nee Burnett, Harrel.
Jay is survived by his loving wife, Una, nee Aabo, Harrel of O'Fallon, whom he married on December 2, 1961, a son Dane E. (Gillian) Harrel and their son Adam, all of O'Fallon, a daughter Suzanne E. (George E.) Chapman and their children Emily, Graham and Aaron Chapman all of Cumming, GA, a sister, Jessie Lee Myers and husband Bob Hudson of Riverside, California, and many dear and special friends.
Memorials in honor of Jay may be made to Central Christian Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
MSgt Albert Jay Harrel, USAF (Ret), 82 of O'Fallon, IL, born August 17, 1929 in Vicksburg, IN, died Monday, October 17, 2011 following a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Jay was a member of Central Christian Church in O'Fallon, the American Legion, VFW, Masonic Lodge 576, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served on occupation duty in Japan at the end of WWII. Following his U.S. Army service, Jay enrolled in college to become a teacher back in Indiana, but his father's unexpected, accidental death prompted him to return to military service--this time in the U.S. Air Force--to support his mother and sisters, which he did faithfully and unselfishly until his marriage in 1962. Jay later served in Japan, Korea, Greenland, Norway, and he had four assignments at Scott AFB allowing him to remain close to his widowed mother in southern Indiana. His Norway assignment facilitated meeting his future bride, Una Aabo of Aarhus, Denmark, and they arrived in O'Fallon with their infant son in 1964.
Jay had a natural talent for electronics maintenance and after 21 years of honorable military service he retired from the U.S. Air Force as a master sergeant in 1968. In 1969, when Jay was 40 years old, a much anticipated daughter was born to Jay and Una. He went on to a second electronics maintenance career, this time with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Louis, and retired in 1991. His hard work ensured his two children had an opportunity he didn't--to go to college. His son, Dane served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as a Colonel. His daughter, Suzanne, graduated from Auburn University and taught for several years as a special education teacher.
There wasn't a job Jay couldn't do; building his mother's first indoor bathroom, stringing barbed wire fence, building a cow shed, maintaining his own cars, restoring a dormant well. He always worked hard--because he had always been self-reliant--and he never complained. Photos of Jay with stringers of Norwegian trout and stringers of catfish, bass, and crappie from Sportsmen's, Washington County, Carlyle, and other local lakes are testament to how much he enjoyed fishing. They also attest to his fishing prowess. Jay was also known for his abundant backyard vegetable garden, and took particular pleasure in giving away the fruits of his garden labors.
Jay enjoyed family camping trips and long walks with his family in O'Fallon's wooded areas and around Sportsmen's Lake. He knew where the morel mushrooms were hiding and he shared wild grapevine swings with neighborhood children--to their delight. In his later years he enjoyed taking walks on the streets near his and Una's home.
Jay was a soft-spoken, unassuming man with a wonderful sense of humor, and he always had a kind word and an equally kind gesture for others He also never met a dog he didn't like, and every dog liked Jay. Even in the last few weeks of his life, he sang to his loving wife Una daily and he always, always told his family he loved them and was proud of them. Before his speech waned, Jay made a point of saying he tried to be kind to others. He was! Jay walked with Jesus Christ throughout his life and was blessed by almost 50 years of marriage to Una, and by over 40 years of close friendship with the Burrough, Lovett, McIntosh, Riley and Boyd families.
He was preceded by his parents Geurnard and Lillian Mae, nee Burnett, Harrel.
Jay is survived by his loving wife, Una, nee Aabo, Harrel of O'Fallon, whom he married on December 2, 1961, a son Dane E. (Gillian) Harrel and their son Adam, all of O'Fallon, a daughter Suzanne E. (George E.) Chapman and their children Emily, Graham and Aaron Chapman all of Cumming, GA, a sister, Jessie Lee Myers and husband Bob Hudson of Riverside, California, and many dear and special friends.
Memorials in honor of Jay may be made to Central Christian Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Jay was a member of Central Christian Church in O'Fallon, the American Legion, VFW, Masonic Lodge 576, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army at 17 and served on occupation duty in Japan at the end of WWII. Following his U.S. Army service, Jay enrolled in college to become a teacher back in Indiana, but his father's unexpected, accidental death prompted him to return to military service--this time in the U.S. Air Force--to support his mother and sisters, which he did faithfully and unselfishly until his marriage in 1962. Jay later served in Japan, Korea, Greenland, Norway, and he had four assignments at Scott AFB allowing him to remain close to his widowed mother in southern Indiana. His Norway assignment facilitated meeting his future bride, Una Aabo of Aarhus, Denmark, and they arrived in O'Fallon with their infant son in 1964.
Jay had a natural talent for electronics maintenance and after 21 years of honorable military service he retired from the U.S. Air Force as a master sergeant in 1968. In 1969, when Jay was 40 years old, a much anticipated daughter was born to Jay and Una. He went on to a second electronics maintenance career, this time with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Louis, and retired in 1991. His hard work ensured his two children had an opportunity he didn't--to go to college. His son, Dane served 20 years in the Air Force and retired as a Colonel. His daughter, Suzanne, graduated from Auburn University and taught for several years as a special education teacher.
There wasn't a job Jay couldn't do; building his mother's first indoor bathroom, stringing barbed wire fence, building a cow shed, maintaining his own cars, restoring a dormant well. He always worked hard--because he had always been self-reliant--and he never complained. Photos of Jay with stringers of Norwegian trout and stringers of catfish, bass, and crappie from Sportsmen's, Washington County, Carlyle, and other local lakes are testament to how much he enjoyed fishing. They also attest to his fishing prowess. Jay was also known for his abundant backyard vegetable garden, and took particular pleasure in giving away the fruits of his garden labors.
Jay enjoyed family camping trips and long walks with his family in O'Fallon's wooded areas and around Sportsmen's Lake. He knew where the morel mushrooms were hiding and he shared wild grapevine swings with neighborhood children--to their delight. In his later years he enjoyed taking walks on the streets near his and Una's home.
Jay was a soft-spoken, unassuming man with a wonderful sense of humor, and he always had a kind word and an equally kind gesture for others He also never met a dog he didn't like, and every dog liked Jay. Even in the last few weeks of his life, he sang to his loving wife Una daily and he always, always told his family he loved them and was proud of them. Before his speech waned, Jay made a point of saying he tried to be kind to others. He was! Jay walked with Jesus Christ throughout his life and was blessed by almost 50 years of marriage to Una, and by over 40 years of close friendship with the Burrough, Lovett, McIntosh, Riley and Boyd families.
He was preceded by his parents Geurnard and Lillian Mae, nee Burnett, Harrel.
Jay is survived by his loving wife, Una, nee Aabo, Harrel of O'Fallon, whom he married on December 2, 1961, a son Dane E. (Gillian) Harrel and their son Adam, all of O'Fallon, a daughter Suzanne E. (George E.) Chapman and their children Emily, Graham and Aaron Chapman all of Cumming, GA, a sister, Jessie Lee Myers and husband Bob Hudson of Riverside, California, and many dear and special friends.
Memorials in honor of Jay may be made to Central Christian Church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.
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