Gene Augusta Harrell (Mickey), 91, passed away January 27, 2024. Mickey was born in South Norfolk, Virginia to the late Ernest Elmer and Nellie Bob Trueblood Harrell. Mickey was predeceased by 5 elder siblings, Sydney Harrell, Frank Harrell, Bud Harrell, Mae Chappell and Robert Harrell. Mickey was born and raised on Commerce St., the second youngest of seven children, who grew up running the nearby streets and playing sports with family and neighborhood friends. He loved sports growing up, particularly baseball, which he played at South Norfolk High School. He met the love of his life, Gloria Delano Pate, shortly after her family moved to South Norfolk from Portsmouth and the rest is history. They fell in love and soon after got married. Mickey found work at NORSHIPCO. as a pipefitter right out of high school, but soon after was drafted into active duty for the US Army. Mickey spent time at Fort Jackson, SC before being sent to Germany, where he spent a little over a year before returning back home to South Norfolk. Mickey and Gloria would welcome two beautiful daughters into this world, Angela and Adriane, and purchase a home on Ormer Rd in Indian River to raise them. Mickey would continue work at NORSHIPCO for 20 years before moving over to the Federal Government, working at NOB for Naval Public Works Center (PWC) in the pipe dept. Over the next 26 years he would work his way up through management before finally retiring in 1996. In retirement, Mickey and Gloria moved down to their home in Duck, NC to relax and enjoy the beach life. Mickey had built the house in Duck (named Gloria’s Place), for his beautiful wife to fulfill her wish for a place where all the family can come and enjoy time spent together. That’s exactly what “Gloria’s Place” came to be, a place where Mickey and Gloria would spend their retirement years enjoying time with their beloved family members, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mickey was a member of the South Norfolk Ruritans club, the Khedive Shriners “Khedive Century Club member”, and lifelong contributor to various charities and children’s programs.
Mickey was an extremely loving man who valued family above all else. He went to great lengths to ensure everyone he loved always had what they needed to get by. Mickey wouldn’t always talk a lot, but when he did you listened, and you always knew what he was saying was coming from his heart. Mickey led by example and was truly the epitome of a family man. He will be greatly missed by many.

Left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 70 years, Gloria Pate Harrell; daughters, Angela Harrell and Adriane Heyer (Gary); grandchildren, Hunter Barnes (Andrea), Hollin Heyer, Shaw Furr, Augusta Furr, Hayden Heyer (Lauren), Anastasia Furr (Pok), Hannah Thoni (Tucker), Angelique Furr (Sam); great grandchildren, Zander, Kennedy, August, Maddox, Vera, Talan, River, Alora, Everett and Lainey; sister, Betty Pierce; sister in law, Eunice Phelps; and a host of very loving cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends at Graham Funeral Home, 1112 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake on Sunday, February 11, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. A service to celebrate his life will be held Monday, February 12, 2024 at 11:00 am at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Rosewood Memorial Park, Virginia Beach. Please visit www.grahamfuneralhome.com to view the service if unable to attend and to leave a condolence to the family.