Rosa Mae "Lady Gal" Gordon Harrell

Rosa Mae “Lady Gal” Gordon Harrell passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 20, 2025.

Aka:  Mother, Rosa, Rosie, Lady, Lady Gal, Aunt Lady Gal, Aunt Rose, AA, Grandma Rosie, Mrs. Harrell

As a child, Rosa lived in Caneyhead.  She had a great love for the Caneyhead community. She taught us to be proud of our Caneyhead roots but not to allow people to make fun of us because of our lineage.  While growing up, Rosa was surrounded by her family that worked the land and raised various animals.  The love for animals followed her through her life.

Rosa attended school first at the school in Caneyhead then later she became part of the first children to go to school in Silsbee.  She graduated from Silsbee High School Class of 1956.  She went to work for Southwestern Bell. 

Rosa began her Christian walk at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.  Later, she and Jesse became Charter Members of North Hardin Baptist Church.  When they returned from Michigan, they moved their membership to Pinecrest Baptist Church where they raised their children.  They made sure that their children attended church.

In 1958, Rosa met Jesse, the love of her life, at a wedding in Vidor. After serving in the United States Navy, he chose not to return to his home state of North Carolina, instead marrying Rosa and making Texas their home. Rosa worked for Southwestern Bell until Martha was born.  After Martha can Rosa wanted to be a stay-home mother, she and Jesse built a small grocery store.  After baby number two, Rosa and Jesse chose to sell the grocery store for her to become a full stay-home mom.  They had four children  (Daddy’s Girls and Momma’s Boys) and dedicated their life to raising them.   During the late 60’s the economy took a turn and they decided to follow work.  They moved the family to Ohio ‘67 and Michigan ‘68 for construction work.  

When Rosa and Jesse returned home in 1968, in order to supplement their family income and allow Rosa to be a stay-home mom, they decided to buy the store back that they had originally built.  It became Harrell’s Grocery for the next sixteen years, Rosa was the primary operator of the business.  As a business owner, she was all business with no time for horsing around.  She raised her children to be public servants.  No matter what was going on in their lives, when a customer came into the  store, all were to put on their STORE-TENDER face and treat the customers with respect.  That term is enduringly used today by her children. 

Rosa and Jesse taught their children a strong work ethic.  She taught them to work in pairs holding each other's hand.  She taught them specific jobs to do at the store and in the home.  They worked alongside her until she felt that they were proficient at the jobs, then she moved them along to the next job.  She coordinated our jobs and sent them off to play because no job was work, it was play.  She used the word play to brainwash them (haha). To this day, each of them knows our specific job and responsibilities when they are together.. 

Rosa taught us the importance of a calendar.  Scheduling was very important.  All events were put on the calendar.  Friday nights were for Silsbee Tiger Football during football season.  Monday nights were reserved for the girls.  Tuesday nights were for Rosa and Jesse. Sunday morning was for church.  They have spent their lives coordinating our calendars so that we could make sure that everyone was at the event they needed to attend.    She was a 64 Year member of the Silsbee Chapter #298, O.E.S where she was a Past Matron and held numerous Grand Committee Appointments. Her favorite Star Point station was Martha.  She also served as Mother Advisor for the Silsbee Assembly # 282, Order of the Rainbow for Girls where she touched the lives of many young women that became lifelong friends.

The plan for Harrell Grocery was to remain open until their last child finished school which meant college.  As the time approached for the store to close, Rosa was at a loss.  What would she do?  She had been working the store and with the public for most of her adult life.  How would she survive?  She loved her customers and the daily contact with people but the time had come.  Harrell’s Grocery was closed.  Next chapter.  Rosa and Jesse planned to travel.  They decided to follow the construction work.  Jesse went to New York City to check out the environment for them because he was not going to take Rosa to any place that would be unsafe for her.  She returned with him in 1986 to NYC.  In NYC, they lived in Far Rockaway which is in the borough of Queens.  This allowed their children to travel to NYC and created fond memories with them.  Rosa worked at ARK Drug while in New York again touching the public.  They would return to Texas in early November and remain until after the new year.  They did this until Jesse’s health no longer allowed him to work.  In 1995, she had lost the love of her life and found herself a widow.  What was she to do?  Focus on her children.  She wanted to treat them like they were in high school.  Roles had to be defined.    

Rosa had a love for cooking and hospitality. Rosa and Jesse taught us to treat everyone that walked through the doors of our store as family.  She cooked a hot meal daily for them.  She started preparing supper (dinner) after we arrived home from school and it was a group project.  Our Birthday Dinner along with New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were big celebrations in our home.  Cooking started at 6:00 am on those days. All food was prepared that day otherwise it was considered leftovers.  Leftovers were not served in her home.  When Mona and her friends would come home after a night out, Rosa would get up and cook for them.  On Saturday mornings, she would cook them flitters.  She could make the best fried cornbread.    Her philosophy about food was “If it’s not fried, it’s not food!”  There were other signature dishes that Mother learned to cook.

Where did the Christmas Party get its start?  While in the store on Christmas Eve, Rosa prepared snacks, desserts, and punch.  As the children got older, the Christmas Eve Party changed.  The date changed but the spirit of the original Christmas Eve Party continued regardless of the date.  Because the store was closed and Jesse Glenn was living in Pennsylvania with his family, our Christmas Eve Party moved to after Christmas, usually December 28, 29, or 30th.  Rosa spent weeks inviting people to the Christmas Party which included a meal and gift exchange.  Fun and Festivities were enjoyed by all.  

While in NY, Rosa ramped up her crocheting skills.  She crocheted doll outfits for each month along with several bride and groom doll outfits.  She crocheted baby granny square blankets, Christmas boots for candy canes, crochet towel toppers, etc.  While in NYC, she would also hand-stitch the quilt tops so that when they returned to Texas she could put them in the quilting frame that Jesse built for her.  She made several different quilts such as king-size Dutch Dolls, Log Cabin, Wedding Ring, and Butterfly along with several baby quilts.

Rosa and Jesse instilled a love for animals in their children.  Her favorite farm animals were cattle, especially Brahman.  This was a love that she passed down to all grandchildren. When the grandsons came along the boys found out about 4-H Livestock showing .  When the boys showed their animals, she would attend the shows and support her grandsons.    

During the last years of Rosa’s life, she portrayed  all the teachings of her life to everyone that crossed her path.  Even though she was ill and her memory was fading she still remembered her loved ones.  We would like to thank the loving health care members that helped us take care of Mother.  If you touched Mother’s life during this time period, our family is extremely grateful and thankful. 

Rosa Mae  “Lady Gal” Gordon Harrell

Children:

Martha Harrell Dean, husband Sam;  

Jesse G. Harrell, Jr., fiancee Debbie, 

Mona Harrell-Bodle, and 

Sam Edd Harrell, wife Pam.

Grand Children:  

Jesse Harrell, III, Jennifer Harrell, Charlie Harrell, Victoria Gilliam, Ray Bodle, Jr., 

Lea Church, Chris Dean, Heather Dean, Dana Armstrong, Jason Haygood, Macie Selter

Great Grand Children:  

Olivia, Zoey, Jesse G, IV, and Sophia;

Isabella, Lucas, and Dawson;

Ryleigh, Sterling, Audrey, and Lincoln; 

Bonus:  Braetin, Devin, Madison; Brooklyn, Logan, and Maddie

Bonus: Henry, Tina (deceased), Liz, Samantha, Troy, Colin, Sean, and Morgan, 

Bonus: Bailey, Tanner, Cooper, and Harley

Bonus Great Great GrandChildren

And Bonus Great-Great Great GrandChildren 

Preceded in Death:  Parents:  Rosie Ard Gordon and Samuel R Gordon,

Husband of 37 years - Jesse Glenn Harrell, Sr.

Son-In-Law:  Ray Bodle 

Grandsons:  Jesse W. Dean and Samuel Seth Harrell

Siblings:  Bertha McBurnett;  James R. “Son” Gordon, Floyd Gordon, and Marvin Gordon

Numerous nieces and nephews, family and friends.

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