Joab B. ""Joe"" Harrell Jr. 88 of Abilene passed away Wednesday December 2 2009. Visitation will be from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Friday at North's Funeral Home 242 Orange Street. Services will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday at North's Memorial Chapel. Burial will be Sunday 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. He 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 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