Onnalee Jean Harrell, 83, Emporia, Kansas, passed away on Friday, August 2, 2024, at Holiday Resort.
Onnalee was born January 14, 1941, in Rocky Ford, Colorado, the daughter of Warren and Kathryn Mary (Nicholas) Leonard. She married Millard L. Harrell in Karval, Colorado on August 7, 1965. He survives. Other family members include her son; Kelby L. Harrell, Emporia, Kansas, daughter; Gwen (Chuck) Modlin, Emporia, Kansas, grandchildren; Josh (Sarah) Stutler, Jacob (Luisa) Stutler, and Jared and Jacey Stutler, as well as several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother; Kathryn Inness and brother; Gwendal Leonard.
Upon graduating from Karval High School in Karval, Colorado, Onnalee attended Bethany Nazarene College where she graduated with Bachelor's degrees in Music Education and also Psychology/Sociology. Her first teaching job took her to Paradise, Kansas where she taught grade school, jr. high and high school choir and band. During the school year, she met her husband, Millard, who grew up in Paradise, but was also teaching choir and band in a nearby town, Luray. Millard and Onnalee married August 7, 1965. Together they moved to Kit Carson, Colorado where they both taught choir and band and where their family grew with the birth of their son, Kelby. They later moved to Elkhart, Kansas where they also added another member to their family, their daughter Gwen. Millard and Onnalee both took a break from teaching while in Elkhart and became the owners of Harrell Furniture Store and Harrell Funeral Home. Along with these businesses, Onnalee still pursued her love for teaching music by giving private piano lessons and also directing a youth choir called Gospel Express Youth Choir. She touched many children’s lives and gave them wonderful memories of performing many times and also the experience of recording an album and other recordings of their music. After Kelby and Gwen were grown and out on their own, Onnalee decided to go back into teaching in the public school setting and taught choir at Elkhart Middle School and Elkhart High School. Before retiring.
Onnalee’s health started declining shortly after and she became a recipient of a liver transplant in 2001. We were given 23 bonus years with Onnalee after her transplant, but other health issues soon followed. Despite her health, Onnalee’s faith gave her the ability to always remain positive and be grateful for her life each day. As she was unable to get out to socialize that often she was blessed with the connections she had with so many through emails and texts and especially Facebook. She loved Facebook and being able to connect and keep up with her former students and their families, but her greatest pride was sharing pictures and stories with all of her friends. She was very proud of sharing woodcarvings that Millard carved and sharing pictures of her kids and especially sharing the lives of her grandchildren.
Onnalee truly left the world a better place with her positiveness and encouragement she shared every day. She made the best of any situation she was in regardless of if it was during her stay at the hospital, doctor’s visits or just visiting with friends and family.
Cremation is planned. A graveside service will take place in Paradise, Kansas at a later date.
