Joseph Scott Harrell 1928 - 2018

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Albemarle Boats founder, Joseph Scott Harrell aged ninety on 23 January 2018. Scott was born on January 3, 1928 to the late Bessie Cecelia Leary and Rodney Tuttle Harrell. Raised on rich Rocky Hock dirt and his mom's locally famous southern cooking, Scott and his three siblings enjoyed an idyllic childhood, or so we believe from the indelible tales we never tired of hearing. He grew up in Rocky Hock Baptist Church, and was baptized in the Chowan River. Scott married Beverly Ann Moore and joined Edenton Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon. In 1951, Scott founded Edenton Tractor and Implement, the beginning of a lifelong love affair with tractors and delighted in mowing and moving dirt until just last year. In the early fifties he began carving out Edenton Marina from a run of Pembroke Creek. In 1978, Scott founded Albemarle Boats, and a legacy of fine offshore fishing boats lives on. Harrell's vision for a high-quality, trailerable, offshore-capable fishing boat was born with the first Albemarle 24 in 1978, which with it's soft, dry ride became an immediate success. The owners of these first boats quickly demanded larger ones, ensuing years saw the introduction of several larger models, and Albermarle expanded over the years up to 41 foot. Scott had a big time growing the Albemarle brand, and thoroughly enjoyed travels and friends made through the Albemarle network. Scott's greatest pleasures were lively gatherings with family and friends, working on his tractor, mastering the art of frying, NASCAR racing, good books, classic country music, and putting up enough Silver Queen corn to carry a half dozen families through winter, earning him a “King Corn” title. He was a keen business man with a quick wit, a load of charm, and an impish sense of humour, loving nothing more than a good practical joke, but also generous and stubborn as a mule, and stood firm and proud of his role as supervisor of most everything. Joseph Scott was preceded in death by his wife, Beverly, and his second wife, Shirley Williams Harrell, whom he married following Beverly’s death, and is survived by his three children: daughters, Ann Harrell Perry and her husband Warner, Elizabeth Harrell Johnstone, and her husband Hall; son, Joseph Scott Harrell, Jr, and his wife Missie, all of Edenton; Grandchildren: Burch Perry and wife Julie, Mary Scott Perry Haigler, and husband Ted, Bess Harrell Little and husband George, Catie Harrell Salyer and husband Stephen, Francie Harrell Winslow and husband Wyatt, Cole Johnstone and wife Ashlea, and Lex Johnstone and wife Michelle; and sixteen great grandchildren: Bryson and Warner Perry, Eloise, Bear and Cecelia Haigler, Ros and Scott Little, Cece and Averett Salyer, Wade, Marjorie, Abigail, Mary Frances, and Drew Winslow, Bennett Johnstone, and Addison Johnstone; three siblings: sister, Marion Cross Goodman and brothers, Rodney Tuttle Harrell and Robert Shirley Harrell, all of Edenton; and a host of nieces and nephews. Additionally, he is survived by his wife Shirley's children: Howard Glasgow and wife Eileen, Del Bilagody and husband Jim, and Mark Glasgow.