Clella Anne Horrell

Clella Anne (Lee) Horrell, 88, entered Heaven’s gates Sunday, September 12, 2021, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, AR. Clella was a faithful and devoted Christian, wife, Momma and Nana. She loved attending church, sharing her faith with others, fishing with her husband, watching her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren play ball, and was a member of New Haven Baptist Church of Paragould. Clella was born on January 5, 1933 in the Arbor Grove community near Walnut Ridge, to Arthur Littleton and Vida Mae (Milligan) Lee. At an early age, the family moved to Clover Bend where she grew up on the family’s farm and attended all twelve of her school years. She was known for being a stand-out basketball player and was honored with the title of All-County and All-District three years, and All-State in 1950, her senior year. Following high school graduation, Clella attended, and graduated from, the Capitol City Business College in Little Rock, AR. While attending college she was recruited to play on a semi-pro basketball team, where she was once again honored with the title of All-State. Not only did she play basketball during college, she also worked as a bookkeeper, and then later attended Arkansas State University (ASU) in Jonesboro, AR. In November 1951, after two years of writing letters back and forth, and only five weeks of dating in-person, Clella accepted a proposal and married the love of her life, Irvin Lee Horrell of Hardy, AR. They spent the following two years in Maryland, Texas, and Virginia while Lee was serving in the military. In 1953, they returned to Hardy, where, after almost ten years of marriage, all four children were born. The couple lived in Imboden, Marmaduke, and Walnut Ridge prior to moving to Paragould in 2006. They were married 62 years prior to Lee’s passing in 2014. Clella utilized her business degree as a secretary for many years, working for a Colonel in the army, ASU, First National Bank of Paragould and Marmaduke High School as Lee’s secretary for 12 years. She retired from the Marmaduke School District in 1992. Clella felt, “God put music in my hands, heart and soul, and if I can bring joy to others with my playing, I’m thankful”. Her love of music brought joy to many over the years as she played the piano and organ at the Baptist Churches of Clover Bend, Hardy, Imboden, Marmaduke, Walnut Ridge and Paragould. She also taught Sunday School and sang in the choir at each of the churches. She loved volunteering for Vacation Bible School, Meals on Wheels and playing the piano and singing at area nursing homes. She was passionate about playing the piano and singing with the Gospel Messengers of Marmaduke. In addition to music, she loved cooking, sewing, and gardening. She made most of her children’s clothing while they were young, cooked three meals daily, and grew the most beautiful flowers. Above all, Clella loved the Lord and was a faithful servant. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Horrell; parents; one brother, Arthur Earl Lee; and three sisters, Hazel and Pearl Lee, and Vivian Lee Doyle; one great grandson, Jackson Cooper Danley. She is survived by an older sister, Roxie Lee Rickard; a son, Scott (Kim) Horrell; three daughters, Kimberlei Danley (Jim Danley), Kelli Harris, and Kristi (Jody) Wiggins; eight grandchildren, MacKenzie (Jay) Coates, Brad Horrell, Caroline (Jason) Heuel, Cord Danley, Kendra (Tyler) Yeager, Ethan (Kylie) Pugh, Molli (David) Snell, and Elijah Wiggins; eight great grandchildren, Jase Coates, Avery Danley, Graycen, Karley and Karter Yeager, Titus, Audrei and Raelynn Pugh; and many other relatives and friends. Services will be held at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould on Sunday, September 19, 2021. Visitation will be from 12:30pm - 2:00pm, celebration of life at 2:00pm, and burial will follow at the Clover Bend Cemetery under direction of Heath Funeral Home, with Bro Kim Bridges and Bro Ron Pickney officiating. Honored to serve as pallbearers are Jimmy Danley, Jody Wiggins, Cord Danley, Brad Horrell, Ethan Pugh, Elijah Wiggins, Tyler Yeager, Jay Coates, David Snell and Jason Heuel. Honorary pallbearers are Avery Danley, Karter Yeager, Titus Pugh and Jase Coates. Memorials may be made to the New Haven Baptist Church Building Fund, Gideons, Int., SIDS, Int., Alzheimer’s Association, or the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House.