1944 - 2024
The Rev. Dr. Larry E. Harrelson, Col., Retired, 80, a resident of the Forest Grove community, passed away on Monday, August 12, 2024 at the Hawthorne House in Forest Grove.
The youngest of four children, Larry was born April 17, 1944 to Willis Murrel and Verla Jessie Harrelson in McLeansboro, Illinois, where he grew up and graduated from high school. Both parents modeled for Larry the virtues of hard work, honesty and religious faith. His parents encouraged Larry to go as far as he could in school, although they were of modest education. His mother and father stopped formal schooling at 8th and 3rd grades, respectively (the country school was too far away for his father to attend). His parents’ influence remained with him throughout his life as family, faith, education, and
service were of utmost importance to Larry.
Larry took his parents’ advice to heart and was a voracious learner, resulting in an extensive and diverse educational journey. His love of books and learning were buoyed by the local public library where he spent many hours as a youth. After high school graduation in 1962, Larry was granted an Illinois State Scholarship for college tuition and was selected by the Illinois Highway Department to attend a civil engineering technician course at the University of Illinois. From 1962-1966 Larry alternated work with the highway department and attending college courses, as funds allowed. At the height of the Vietnam war, Larry enlisted in the U.S. Army and served on active duty (1966-1969), working as a mental health social worker at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. During this time, he completed his bachelor’s degree in sociology at Drury College by attending evening classes.
In 1969 Larry entered graduate school at the University of Missouri on a federal fellowship and received his master’s in library science in August of 1970. While attending the University of Missouri, he met Willa and her ten-month old daughter Christina, through mutual friends. In January 1970 he asked Willa if he should consider Willa and Christina in his search for a job. This served as his proposal of marriage, and they tied the knot in June of 1970. He adopted Christina in 1971. From Columbia,
Missouri, they moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where Larry worked as head of the Information Services Department at the University of Oklahoma Library. Their son John, was born soon after, in 1972.
While in Norman, at the University of Oklahoma, Larry earned a second master’s degree in speech communication. His next and final full-time library job was as director of the Crowley Ridge Regional Library in Jonesboro, Arkansas. During his library career, Larry authored articles for national and state professional libraries. Larry entered seminary in 1974, but his library work was not over. To earn money while in seminary, he taught a graduate-level library science course each semester at the University of Kentucky, and for some time after his ordination. Larry’s interest in libraries stemmed from his rapacious reading as a young person, which he was able to pursue through the small public library in his hometown. Larry greatly valued public libraries, and after transitioning to full-time clergy he continued to find ways to contribute to the health of local libraries; he served on the boards of two public libraries in cities where he pastored.
Larry made most, if not all, of his career decisions with family connections as the primary factor. With a call to the ordained ministry, Larry turned down an opportunity to attend seminary in Austin, Texas, for fear that his children would never know his parents, since Texas was too far away for regular visits to his parents in Illinois. Larry attended the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, which was a few hours from his parents’ home, from 1974-1976. Both of his parents passed away in July 1975.
Larry was ordained an Episcopal deacon and served as an assisting priest at St. Matthew’s Episcopal in Enid, Oklahoma. He was ordained a priest in 1976 in the Diocese of Oklahoma. In 1977, while at St. Matthew’s, the family met a boy, Thomas, who was living with a foster family. Larry and Willa inquired about adopting Thomas but were told that they could not because they lived in the same county as Thomas’ biological family. Larry baptized Thomas, and Willa served as a witness (in essence, becoming his Godparents) just before Thomas was moved elsewhere within the Oklahoma foster system. Sadly, they briefly lost track of Thomas. In 1977, the Harrelson family moved to Woodward, Oklahoma, for Larry’s first pastoral position at St. John’s Episcopal church. Thomas remained in their hearts. Larry and Willa discovered that Thomas had been relocated to the other side of the state (300 miles away), and were finally able to adopt Thomas into the family soon after. Thomas was 9 years old, at the time. While in Woodward, Larry also conducted church services at a nearby psychiatric hospital.
The passing of Larry’s parents while he was in seminary was impactful for the future of the Harrelson family. Larry and Willa chose to move the family to north Idaho, so that their children could have a relationship with their remaining grandparents (Willa’s parents). In 1979, Larry first served a trio of churches in Wallace (“The Silver Capital of the World”), Kellogg, and Mullan, Idaho. The family spent many weekends and school breaks with Willa’s parents in Sagle, Idaho.
When the mines and smelter closed in the Silver Valley, the result was massive unemployment. Larry helped found the Christian Aid Fund of Shoshone County and obtained grants to assist persons of great need during that time. The fund continued to assist Silver Valley residents for many years with valley churches jointly contributing to the fund. Part of his ministry included consistent visits to the hospital and nursing home in Silverton, ID; oftentimes one of his children would join him for these visits. While in the Silver Valley, Larry completed his Doctor of Ministry degree, which he had started in
Oklahoma, receiving his degree from Phillips Theological Seminary in 1982. His dissertation, The Ministry of Healing: A Theological and Psychological Rationale with Pastoral Aids, is an example of Larry’s long-term interest and faith in Christian healing. It shows his inspiration to integrate biblical, theological, and psychological aspects to ministry, with always an eye on practical consequences for healing in many forms: physical, emotional, and spiritual. “I believe this type of thinking and research is ‘doing theology.’”
Larry was called to serve as Rector of the Church of the Nativity (Episcopal) in Lewiston, Idaho, 1984-1991. He believed he was called to minister to those with the greatest need, which meant going out into the community to serve God’s people. He was not deterred from responding to this call. The church grew and Larry was active in community, ecumenical and diocesan work. He had a significant hospital visitation ministry at St. Joseph’s Regional Hospital. Larry believed that God’s work was to be done, not for self-serving reasons, but for the glory of God. He modeled honor and honesty for his children who carry this belief and practice with them every day. Listen to the spirit, do the right thing, even if no one is watching. A licensed social worker, Larry took a four-year break from full-time pastoral ministry (1991-1995) and served as a mental health clinician with the State of Idaho mental health program in Lewiston, Idaho. During this time, he also served as a Sunday supply priest to area Episcopal Churches. All three of Larry and Willa’s children graduated from Lewiston High School.
With children grown, in 1995 Larry and Willa moved to Sisters, Oregon, where Larry was Pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration for 9 years. During that time, church attendance more than doubled. Larry continued his active role in diocesan affairs and community service. At his June 2004 retirement, the Sisters Rotary Club made him a Paul Harris Fellow, in recognition of his contributions to the community.
Larry also had a long and distinguished military career. He was an active-duty U.S. Army soldier (1966-1969). In 1973, Larry received a direct commission as a Naval Reserve intelligence officer and served in that capacity until 1980, when he transferred to the Army Reserve as a chaplain. For the next 23 years, Larry had a significant part-time ministry as a chaplain in the Army Reserve and the Idaho Army National Guard. He retired from the Idaho Guard as a Colonel in February 2003. In the Idaho Guard, Larry served as the 116 th Engineer Battalion Chaplain, the 116 th Cavalry Brigade Chaplain, and lastly as the State Chaplain. Among Larry’s military awards are the Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, three Armed Forces Reserve Medals and two National Defense Service Medals. Whenever possible (which was often), Larry brought his family with him to various military drills and schools. This resulted in opportunities to see and explore Washington D.C., Norfolk, VA, and many military bases and the surrounding communities. Among the best memories his children have from this time are air shows, tours of naval ships, and many cross-country trips with stops to visit extended family along the way. The family was rich in experience and time together.
After his 2004 retirement, for several years Larry provided Sunday clergy supply to area Episcopal churches and served as assisting priest at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Boise, Idaho and then at the Church of the Holy Nativity in Meridian, Idaho. Larry continued writing as an avocation, with many articles published in magazines, journals and newspapers. He was a chaplain for an American Legion Post for many years.
During retirement, Larry and Willa traveled in the United States and took a delightful course at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. They enjoyed visiting their children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, sisters, brothers and other family members and friends.
Larry is survived by his wife, Willa; his daughter, Christina Harrelson Rowe (Paul), of Athol, Idaho; son Thomas (Dody) Harrelson, of Pullman, Washington; son, John (Shiela Lesh) Harrelson, of Forest Grove, Oregon; his grandchildren, Jessie (Shane) Smith; Robert (Breanna) Nielson; Phillip (Nicole) Nielson; Stella Harrelson; Lucas (Amina) Harrelson; Althea Harrelson; Willa Grace Harrelson; six great-grandchildren, Cyrus Seferos; Olivia Monahan; RJ and Aubree Nielson; Jaxon and Rowan Nielson; and several nieces and nephews.
The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, that remembrances may be contributions to a charity of your choice that serves the underprivileged and/or oppressed members of your community in his memory. Food banks, homeless shelters, mental health organizations, and public libraries are some suggestions.
