Harry Carrell Obituary

Harry Carrell (96), passed away peacefully on March 26th, under Hospice care, after a brief illness. He was born in Kentucky and was predeceased by both parents, his brothers Archie and Robert, sister Mary, and wife Louise. He was drafted into the Army Air Force, shortly after the Japanese surrender that ended WWII in 1945. In the Army, he experienced what he considered to be one highlight of his life. He was trained and served as a cryptographer, an assignment that required his being granted the highest possible security clearance in the U. S military, at only 19 years old. His military service enabled him, through the G.I. Bill, to attend the University of Louisville Speed School of Engineering. He was granted a Chemical Engineering BS in 1952 and an MS in 1953. While still at U of L in early 1953, he was interviewed by two recruiters from Tennessee Eastman. He was allowed this interview only because the student with the original interview appointment was called away at the last minute and the interviewers contacted U of L to ask if any other students were available. That interview earned Harry a trip to Kingsport for further interviews and he was resultingly hired in June, 1953. It was in an Eastman cafeteria that he first saw his bride-to-be, Louise Peace, another Kentuckian. They were married in May of 1959 and blessed with three children, each of which have made their parents proud. Louise passed away in August of 2007, after a difficult, 4-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Harry served 6 years in the Cellulose Esters Division before transferring to the Acid Division in 1959. He avoided almost certain death from flying glass due to an explosion at Eastman on 4 October, 1960. Had he returned to his desk only 15 seconds earlier, he would have encountered the blizzard of glass coming down his hallway. Harry retired from Eastman as the Superintendent of the TPA Department.

Harry made one attempt at public service, volunteering to assist Jeanette Blazier in the Kingsport Tomorrow group, attempting to start a bus service in Kingsport, but became disenchanted with the lack of progress at the time and found his calling working for Habitat for Humanity. He and his friend Ronnie Nations, another Eastman retiree, designed and installed the plumbing systems for several Habitat-built homes in the Kingsport area.

Harry credits his wife, Louise, for leading him to become a Christian, baptized at First Baptist Church of Kingsport, where he was a member for more than half a century. Finally, many times Harry said that the single-best decision in his life was to spend it in East Tennessee.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, March 30th, from 6-8 PM at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, 117 E. Charlemont Ave., Kingsport. The memorial service will be On Friday the 31st at 10:00 AM at the chapel of Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, with the burial immediately following at the East Lawn Memorial Park, 4997 Memorial Blvd., Kingsport.