Harrell family legacy alive and well at UNC

With three generations of dentists and three past presidents of the North Carolina Dental Society, the Harrell family is a treasure to the town of Elkin and the University alike.

Jim Harrell Sr., 92, attended undergraduate school at UNC before there was a dental program, following in the family dentistry business his father, Roy B. Harrell, established. Although Roy Harrell did not attend the University, there is an annual Roy B. Harrell Symposium at the dental school in his honor.

Today, Jim Harrell Sr. has two sons that practice, both of whom graduated from UNC’s School of Dentistry.

Jim Harrell’s love for UNC began in the 1940s. He was a part of the class of 1944 and has been a member of the Carolina family ever since.

Jim Harrell, who has served as the mayor of Elkin and as the president of UNC’s General Alumni Association, reflected on many of his favorite memories over the past 71 years, including the UNC men’s basketball team national championship title in 1957.

“Oh my goodness, I couldn’t believe how excited I was,” he said.

Jim Harrell said he appreciated the way the University community handled the recent passing of his personal friend, the late Coach Dean Smith.

“I was a real good friend of Dean Smith’s,” said Jim Harrell.

Jim Harrell was even at the ceremony when the basketball arena was named the Dean E. Smith Center. Harrell said the humble coach was reluctant at first.

“I was there when he didn’t want it named after him, but he finally gave in. And when he did, he wanted it named Dean Edwards Smith,” Jim Harrell said.

He remained involved with the University after graduating, as World War II was coming to a close.

“For several years we had an annual Carolina Giving campaign, which was raising money to supplement salaries for professors to try and keep them there,” Jim Harrell said.

He later started a fund to raise salary and sabbatical for young professors in the name of Hugh and Richard Chatham.

His contributions have been so important to the dental school that an award was named after him.

The James A. Harrell Sr. Citizenship and Leadership Award is given to a dental student who brings leadership, enthusiasm, wisdom and service to his or her profession.

“I have been doing some type of volunteer job in the dental school or Carolina ever since I got out,” he said.

Following in their father’s footsteps, brothers Jim Harrell Jr. and Gavin Harrell both have their own dentistry practices in Elkin.

Jim Harrell Jr. and Gavin Harrell agreed the best part about being a dentist is taking care of their community.

“My grandfather started care in 1916,” Gavin Harrell said. “It’s just a part of a tradition that’s fun to be a part of.”

Besides dentistry, the Harrell brothers’ other love is UNC.

“We just loved everything about it,” said Gavin Harrell. “The atmosphere, you know, small town, but all the opportunities of a big school and a big campus.”

Jim Harrell Jr. agrees that there is a lot to love about UNC.

“I love the fact that it’s a public university and the strides they make to fulfilling that purpose of being a public university in the state, the nation and the world.”

To the Harrells, dentistry means more than just the business. Gavin Harrell said he feels dentistry is more about serving people and doing what he loves.

“They say if you do what you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life, and I haven’t worked in 37 years.”

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