Harry Wellington Jarrett Jr.

COLUMBIA - A funeral service for Harry W. Jarrett Jr., 95, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2022, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 1:00 p.m. prior to the service

Mr. Jarrett passed away peacefully on Friday, April 29, 2022. Harry was born in Charlotte, N.C. on February 3, 1927, to the late Eunice Foster Jarrett and Harry W Jarrett, Sr.

Harry was blessed with two loving wives, Sally Modelle Bookout Jarrett, and Nancy Williams Jarrett. He leaves behind five children, Marsha J. Reynolds, Candace J. Leggett, Harry W. Jarrett, III and his wife, Yan Wen, Steve E. Jarrett and Mary Jarrett, and Jaclyn Jarrett Macaulay and her husband, Earl Macaulay. Harry had 11 grandchildren, Kirk Reynolds (who passed in 2005), Gregory Reynolds, Jeffrey Reynolds, Kristy Leggett Mullen, Ashley Leggett, Harry Jarrett, IV, Patience Waddell, Alex Jarrett, Earl Macaulay, Jr., Laura Macaulay Carlson, Jackson Macaulay. Harry was blessed with 14 great-grandchildren, Kirsten Reynolds Smith, Karrington Leggett, Devin Reynolds, Sidney Leggett, Justin Leggett, Brandon Reynolds, Hannah Reynolds, Adalynn Mullen, Adrianna Mullen, Milo Carlson, Fiona Carlson, Savannah Lynn Jarrett, Elliott Declan Waddell and Ave Ensley Waddell.

Harry’s life was full of love, hard work and laughter - and ice cream. As a young man growing up during the Depression, hard work was evident and necessary. He took jobs cutting grass, selling magazines and later working for Bennick’s Drug Store as a soda jerk (his words) for about 4 years. He worked late into the night and then up early to get to school. During high school he played baseball and boxed. He went to work for the post office and stuck mail for the entire country, then dispatched air mail. He also worked in the registered letter department. Harry met Modelle at a church through a friend who was dating Modelle’s sister. Over a period, they fell in love and Harry asked Modelle to marry him. Harry was always a big believer in God, and felt He guided their lives throughout. God made it possible for their large family and kept him safe through his service in WWII.

After his service in WWII where he visited Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, Kwajalein, Guam, Saipan Tinian, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, China and Japan, he came home to get married.

He went back to work at the post office after discharging from the service and Harry and Modelle began their life together. After about 30 days, they moved to Raleigh for Harry to attend college under the GI Bill. He passed the entrance exam but had some difficulty with Geometry. Modelle coached him until he passed. Harry worked at an A & P store in the evening at 75 cents per hour. Shortly thereafter Modelle became pregnant. During this time they moved a couple of times to accommodate the coming new member to their family and Modelle worked at Eckerd’s. Both worked all the hours available to make ends meet.

Not long after Marsha was born, Modelle became pregnant again and Harry stopped college and was one out of 200 applicants who was hired to work for Procter and Gamble. Harry stayed and succeeded at Proctor and Gamble for several years then took a job at Ellison (Port Brokerage) then went to TNT Chemicals. He retired in 1992.

During his life he taught Sunday School at various churches and while living on Sullivan’s Island, S.C., he taught Sunday School and even pinch hit as minister of the little church while they were placing calls for a new pastor. His knowledge of the Bible couldn’t be touched and he read the Bible often until he became ill. He worked at God’s Storehouse for years. This was a store that provided food for the needy in Columbia.

His daughter, Jaclyn, and Modelle decided to open a plant store. Once they found the property on Hwy 378 in West Columbia, Harry, Steve and Harry III, as well as Jackie’s friend, Earl Macaulay, contributed toward building what is now known as Jarrett’s Jungle.

Harry’s son, Steve, bought a lot from Harry in the mountains on which he wanted to build a vacation home. Harry, Steve and Harry II banded together to build this home. The view is spectacular.

Modelle passed away September 21, 1982. That was terrible time for Harry and his entire family. Not too long after Modelle died, Harry met Nancy Williams. She was a recent widow and the two of them had a lot to share. Harry and Nancy married 7/13/1983. Nancy was a prolific author who penned three novels before she passed. Nancy had no children who survived her.

Few get to live as long as Harry did and to do as much good as he did. God always was the center of his life and it showed. All who knew him loved and respected him, especially his children. Few can say that all their children have been as successful as Harry and Modelle’s five children. Marsha was successful in the mortgage industry, Candy in banking and now schools. Harry III was a successful biochemist and professor of biochemistry (now retired), Steve and his wife, Mary, have a thriving jewelry store known as Jarrett and Hart and Jaclyn owns Jarrett’s Jungle.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.