Tribute To Harrell

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=144 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC;" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="00590901dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <IMG SRC="00af27c0.jpg" border=0 width="498" height="124" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=296 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="006a0a03.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="http://whs62.net/hf3/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/hf3/"><B>Clubhouse</B></A><B> - </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/hf3/the_content_page.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/hf3/the_content_page.ht"><B>Content Page</B></A><B> - </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/hf3/dedication.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/hf3/dedication.htm"><B>Dedication</B></A><B> - </B><A HREF="http://whs62.net/hf3/washington_letter.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/hf3/washington_letter.h"><B>Inspiration</B></A><B> - </B><A HREF="http://www.whs62.net/hunt" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whs62.net/hunt"><B>Hunts</B></A><B> - </B><A HREF="http://www.whs62.net/fish" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whs62.net/fish"><B>Fishing</B></A></div> <bR> <div>  <script type="text/javascript"> //Page Last Modified Date script- By JavaScriptKit.com //Visit http://www.javascriptkit.com for full source code //This notice must stay intact for use var docmodified='' document.write('This page was last modified: '+docmodified) </script></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="4" CELLPADDING="11" CELLSPACING="5" WIDTH="606" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#FFFFFF" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFFFF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#000000 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 2506 WIDTH="564"><bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="349" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 172 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="6a676970.jpg" border=0 width="118" height="151" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="6a7989b0.jpg" border=0 width="152" height="155" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 49 ><NOBR><div> <B>Harrell Offis</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B> "Rufus" </B></I></FONT><B>Alexander</B></div> <div> <B>July 24, 2008</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> One of the most amazing things about the HF3 Brotherhood is that it seems that every day there is something about the group that is both amazing and wonderful in it's ability to bring to our attention just how fortunate we are to have each other as friends and at the same time teach us a life lesson. There are times when we wonder if there has been a divine intervention behind the organization's existence as well as the selection of those who have become a part of it. If so, then Harrell perfectly exemplifies that  is the case.</div> <bR> <div> Harrell was one of the many that we all went to school together from 1st grade through graduation. But Harrell was more what we considered an aquantance than anyone's close friend. It's never , until much later in life (usually from having kids of your own) that you become aware of just how cruel that kids can be to one another. We were no exception. We were all aware of Harrell but he was more likely to be  the butt of a joke to most of us rather than considered a "buddy".  He wasn't an academic, didn't participate in sports, and he didn't socialize much so he was considered "just someone we attended school with" .  When graduation came, Harrell was more of a surprise to be included than anything else and in all honesty, after graduation, he was pretty much forgotten as he never attended any of the class reunions. Harrell confided later that the only reason he graduated is because one of our high school teachers had told him he was not smart enough to ever graduate form high school. Harrell vowed at that point, that he WOULD graduate and then he did so.</div> <bR> <div> In 2001 The WHS62 website was created in order to encourage everyone  to attend our 40th class reunion. It grew in scope and was used to showcase photos taken from past reunions as well as other get together's we had as a class or any groups from the class. It was only natural that HF3 be given a place on the class website. After each of our hunting or fishing get together's, pictures were posted of our activities that year as well as a group photo of all who attended.  Here were photos of all us old schoolmates fishing and hunting and doing the things we enjoyed so much as kids.... and they were posted on the website for all to see. These pages were usually looked forward to with anticipation to see what parts of all the fun had been captured in photos that year.</div> <bR> <div> In 2004, the posting of the photos was occurring a little late. I was still working t on a "theme" for the year when out of the blue I receive an email from Harrell asking when the photos would be posted. This was the last person I expected to get an email from as well as being the first I or anyone else had heard from him in over 40 years! He told me how much he enjoyed all the photos on the website and how it enabled him to keep up with all his old classmates. He said that he had really enjoyed hunting and fishing but now was confined to a wheelchair and couldn't participate in them any longer, so the photos meant a lot to him. He was so impressed that so many of us had gotten together and were having such a good time. He was living in Rosepine, LA and that although he was confined in a wheelchair, he was extremely blessed with a great family, a great church, great friends and that his big enjoyment was taking his dog "Big Red" for a walk from his wheelchair. I'd never read such an upbeat email before. Here was an outdoors man, confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life and to him, the world was great.......and he really missed us guys...who'd never had much to do with him for the 12 years we'd been together in school.....</div> <bR> <div> Prior to the 2005 FART at Tom's, I'd been reminding everyone about the trip, when it would be, and how much fun we were bound to have when I received another email from Harrell. He told about how excited he was about the trip, although he'd never be able to make it. But he was able to enjoy it as much as any of us just by seeing the photos and reading the website. He did however, have a special request of me..... would I get a group photo of all the guys without their caps on so that he could better see their faces. He said that he used our previous group photos as a screen saver on his PC! He really would like to see the guys again and see how much we'd all changed over the years. He only wished that he were able to attend and be with us but there was just no way. And he asked that I take plenty of photos so he could feel like he was there.... WOW!   I told him I'd do that and asked that he send me a photo of himself so that I could see how he looked now.</div> <bR> <div> Well, we took our official group photo that year both with and without our caps. Dan Henry took the photo using his nice camera and tripod and ...well, that's probably the best group photo we've had made to date. Prior to updating the site with that year's photos, I was doing my usual cropping and adjusting of photos when on a lark, I took an extra two minutes and superimposed his photo on our group photo, added our names, resized it to the best size for his screen's screensaver and told him he'd always be a part of our group and that he was getting to see the group photo before anyone else.  I sent it to him prior to posting everything to the web.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="6a814950.jpg" border=0 width="532" height="405" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> One would have thought that I'd just given him the winning lottery ticket for free. He was so appreciative of it and of all of us in HF3. He couldn't get over the fact that the guys had taken the photo just the way he asked but that we'd even included him in it. THAT, my HF3 friends, is when I had a life changing experience. I learned that the greatest gift for anyone is just in letting them know you care. In less than 5 minutes of your time and even less effort on your part, you can make someone's day. It doesn't take money, it doesn't take hard work, it doesn't take sacrifices, it just takes a "you exist and mean something to me" gesture. That's all. To you, it was nothing... to someone else, it can mean the world. It makes a difference.......</div> <bR> <div> And, when Tom took the extra time on a business trip to stop by and see Harrell at his home, he made a lifetime friend of Harrell and myself, as well. Words can't express how proud that made us of Tom and the Brotherhood.</div> <bR> <div> Over the next three years, Harrell was a regular responder to the Brotherhood. During that time, Harrell suffered many setbacks that would have brought most people to their knees... extreme health problems, transportation issues, becoming bed ridden, surgery, hurricanes, and many more. Yet, he NEVER once showed that it ever got him down. He was always upbeat about friends, HF3, church, family, and his Savior. No Friday went by without an email wishing us all a great weekend.</div> <bR> <div> Harrell also brought out the best in HF3. The Brotherhoods's response to hurricane relief through Harrell, the purchase and donation of the laptop and printer to Harrell so that he could keep in touch with the outside world, the generator to keep Harrell's medical needs going during the hurricane, etc.. each was done unselfishly and for a friend.... traits that all of HF3 can be proud of.</div> <bR> <div> Perhaps it all is best summed up by Harrell's family at his funeral services. They recognized each of us that attended from the photos Harrell had of us as well as our nicknames and something about each of us that Harrell had passed on to them. But above all, we were all asked to sit with the family at the service because, to Harrell, we WERE family.......</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>God Bless You Harrell... our loss is heaven's gain...</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="411" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 306 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id1481.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recognition"><IMG SRC="79b802c0.png" border=0 width="384" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <B>Click on Photo To See Larger Copy</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="hunt_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hunt 2008"><B>BACK TO MAIN PAGE</B></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Questions about the website or  reports of broken links ----  </B><A HREF="mailto: webmaster@whs62.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: webmaster@whs62.net"><B>webmaster@whs62.net</B></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=39 style=" border-top: 1px solid #CCCCCC;" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="00790941dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="691" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://whs62.net/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Home</FONT></A>     <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Roll/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Roll/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Roll Call</FONT></A>    <A HREF="http://whs62.net/In_Memory/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/In_Memory/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">In Memory</FONT></A>   <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Long_Ago/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Long_Ago/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Long Ago</FONT></A>    <A HREF="http://www.whs62.net/Our_50s/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.whs62.net/Our_50s/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Our 50's</FONT></A>   <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Reunions/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Reunions/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Reunions</FONT></A>   <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Today/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Today/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Today</FONT></A>    <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Contacts/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Contacts/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Contacts</FONT></A>    <A HREF="http://whs62.net/Contacts/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://whs62.net/Contacts/"><FONT COLOR="#FFFFFF">Links</FONT></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>