L. Gene Jarrell

L. Gene Jarrell, 91, of Smyrna, Delaware passed away on Friday, January 15, 2021, to be home with the Lord Jesus and many loved ones who preceded him in death. Gene was born on his family farm in Felton, Delaware in 1929, the fourth of nine children. He grew up working the farm until he enlisted in the United States Army and was deployed to Korea, to front line action at the height of battle. Upon returning home, Gene began his long-time career as a salesman, working at several area car dealerships before embarking on his own Mobile Home Sales business. Gene was an excellent salesman and grew a successful business that he operated for many years, oftentimes, hiring family and friends. In addition to his career, Gene had several interests including his passion for racing cars. This started with a Jeep his father purchased when he was a teenager, and grew to him racing on Harrington Speedway. In later years he was an avid NASCAR enthusiast and Jeff Gordon fan. Gene also loved music and dancing. Along with fellow musicians, Gene wrote, recorded and promoted several songs with local bands and had a feature spot on The Original Amateur Hour in New York, New York. He also loved to dance and earned the nickname, “Gene, Gene the dancing machine.” During the 1980’s, Gene and his wife, Gladys moved to North Carolina where they made their home near Monroe for many years. As recent Christians, they found a church home at Oakland Baptist Church, where they spent many years serving in Ministry and building life-long friendships. Additionally, Gene and several friends formed a Southern Gospel Quartet that traveled to nursing homes, bringing joy and smiles to the elderly residents. In 2014, Gene and Gladys moved back to his home state of Delaware to be near his family, which are his pride and joy, especially his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Because of advancing memory issues, it was difficult for Gene to remember names, even of his beloved family members. Each morning he placed a slip of paper in his front shirt pocket containing the names of his great-grandchildren to refresh his memory and to keep them in prayer during daily devotions. Gene was preceded in death by brothers Martin, Eldred, John, Robert, and Donald, and his two sisters, Bertha Bell Ennis and Marilyn Ottinger and his parents, Clarence and Ruth (Bohannon) Jarrell. He is survived by his wife, Gladys (Cooke) Jarrell; his children, Russel Jarrell (Joy), Kimberly Jarrell and William Cox, Sr. (Terri); his brother Alvin Jarrell (Sharon); grandchildren, Louis Calderon, III (Leslie), Trevor Calderon, Austin Murtha (Patricia), William Cox, Jr. (Gina) and Anthony Cox (Bijou); and great grandchildren, Bianca Murtha, Riley Murtha, Austin Murtha II, Olivia Calderon, Roman Calderon and Charlotte Cox; and many nieces and nephews, whom he loved. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Gene’s memory can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or The American Cancer Society. Graveside services will be held on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 11 am at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware with arrangements handled by Faries Funeral Home, Smyrna, Delaware.