A. Harrell Blackshear

Arvil Harrel Blackshear graduated to Heaven on the 27th of August 2012, and has been made perfect and complete in the Lord. He was born on the 10th of August 1925, in Galveston, Texas, to Arvil Hurt and Maggie Hunt Blackshear.

He held a BA degree from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and MBA from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. From 1948 to 2003, he spent his life in banking, except for his service as a Naval Officer in World War II for 3 years and 2 and a half years spent as a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He served in the roles of Chairman of the Board, President, Vice President of many Banks in Houston over the course of those 55 years. Harrel served as Director at L.L. Ridgeway Enterprises, Inc., Insurance Investment Company, Independent Bankers Association, Texas Independent Bank, Houston Racquet Club, Louisiana Bank and Trust, Longview National Bank, Texas City National Bank, Bloomburg State Bank, First Bank of LaMarque, and McGregor Park National Bank. He was a member of the Texas A&M Business Development Council, The Independent Bankers Association of Texas and the Second Baptist Church where he served joyfully as a deacon.

Harrel is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Bette; his children, son, Alan Harrel Blackshear and his wife Marianne; daughter, Margaret Blackshear Watson and her husband Mike; his grandchildren, who all called him “Googie”, Travis Alan, Samuel Robert, Sarah Elizabeth Blackshear, Margaret Louise and John Harrel Watson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Margaret Springer and her husband Benjamin; brothers, Jack Blackshear and his wife Hildegard; and Joe Blackshear and wife Helen.

Serving as Honorary Pallbearers are Gary Bond, Jack Herzog, James Patterson, Joe Swartz, Dr. Don Wallace, and Jarvis Watson.

The family wishes to thank his loving caregivers Tamisha Jones, Leitha Chandler, Chanel Murphy and Tonya Thomas.

A memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 29th of August in the Hankamer Chapel of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston, where Dr. H. Edwin Young, Senior Pastor, is to officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the nearby Deacon’s Parlor.

Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Galveston Memorial Park in Hitchcock, Texas.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, contributions may be directed to Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX, 77057.