DORIS MCCALL HARRELL

Doris Mobilene McCall “Angee” Harrell age 97 was born on April 11, 1927, near Ashford, Alabama to Reverend James Asberry McCall and Loyl Louvicie Meadows McCall. Doris passed away at her home on November 27, 2024, in Donalsonville in the house which she helped build in 1947 with her husband Oliver Earnest Harrell whom she married on September 4, 1944. 

Visitation and chapel services will be held on Monday, December 2nd, at Evans-Skipper Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Burial will follow at Spring Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be D. J. Strong, Jim Bob Baxter, Lamar Ham, Sam Phoenix, Michael Thomas, and Reyna Butler. Reverend Michael John Carr and grandson Jacob H. “Cobb” Baxter will officiate. In lieu of flowers Doris requested that donations are made to the cemetery fund of Spring Creek Baptist Church.

She operated Harrell’s Upholstery Shop for 33 years. Also, she was “Fiddlin’ Doris” the promoter, emcee, lead singer, and one of the musicians of the Pine Cabin Folks and had a radio program for ten years of Southern gospel and country music. Displaying many musical talents, she played piano, fiddle, banjo, Hawaiian guitar, dobro, mandolin, autoharp, and ukulele.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and only child, her daughter Dorothy Jean Harrell Baxter, miscarried great granddaughter Shelby Eleana Baxter, sisters Gertrude Odom, Natherlena Brown, Rochelle McCall, and special friends Inez Hanna and Marjorie Burke, and many feline companions who she dearly loved but would not admit it.

She is survived by her grandsons Jeff Aaron Baxter and fiancé Janet Lynn Ivey, and Jacob Harrell “Cobb” Baxter, and son-in-law Clifton Baxter, great grandkitty Joe Exotic, and honorary grandson and caregiver Calvin Brelove of Malone, Florida, sister Elizabeth Payne of Pontotoc, MS, sister Betty Webb of Douglasville, Georgia, brother Bud McCall and wife Joyce of Jackson, Georgia, sister Margie Lou Black and husband Ron of Marietta, Georgia, and sister Brenda McCall of Jackson, Georgia, and special friends Cheryl Belisle, Patty Freeman, and Reyna Butler of Donalsonville, Georgia, and a host of nieces and nephews wheresoever the four winds blow.

Doris was a Mountain Dew afficionado having been a consumer of the sugary caffeine beverage since its introduction. Despite being a nonagenarian, she enjoyed Facebook browsing, YouTube videos, a few Guitar Hero sessions, and watching “silly” movies with her grandsons with special animosity concerning Borat. Fishing, boating, yardwork, and long walks in nature were her favorite pastimes. She enjoyed embracing and loving everyone she knew. She was a true hug dealer. Strangers to Doris were friends she had not yet met. One of her great joys was the yearly family reunions in the summer at the lake house on Ray’s Lake where she pulled many skiers around the lake a great multitude of times. Mercury cars had no greater fan than Doris Harrell. Doris showed great courage in 1985 by returning to school and proudly passing the GED test after having retired at 58 years old. However, she graduated summa cum laude from the school of hard knocks many decades previous. Doris was a longtime supporter of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association, American Legion, and American Cancer Society.

The family offers special thanks to the Seminole County Sherriff’s office, the Donalsonville Police Department, Dr. Jeffrey Holley and his office, the staff of Donalsonville Hospital, Georgia Hospice Care, and the friendly staff of Piggly Wiggly whose deli plates were enjoyed almost daily. 

If Doris could leave us with one last thought, it would be not to mourn her but carry our heads high and enjoy the life we have.