Dr. Maureen A. Jarrell

Maureen practiced at Wendover OB-GYN in Greensboro before retiring in 2008 and moving with husband Meredith Barkley to the tranquility of rural Caswell County. Together, they built a life around their garden, fruit trees and bushes, dog Bing and the many new friendships they cultivated.

She taught herself to can and spent many summer hours in the kitchen putting up produce from the garden. She was very happy the day she put away the canner for the year.

She was generous with time and resources and found great satisfaction in volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, Family Health Ministries of Durham in Haiti and preparing breakfast for the homeless at Greensboro Urban Ministries. She and her husband met on a dusty Habitat worksite in Honduras in 2002.

Maureen was devoted to her church – Holy Trinity Episcopal in Greensboro – and found deep and lasting friendships as part of a covenant group that met regularly for many years.

She was born Feb. 24, 1948 in Cincinnati, OH to John and Mildred Lizer Jarrell. She lived in rural Burlington, Ky. until age 6 when the family moved to Miami, Fl. where she grew up. She graduated Hialeah High School, Stetson University and the University of Florida's medical school.

Her family are huge Florida Gator fans. And while not a die hard fan herself, her pulse could quicken while watching the Gators pummel some hapless foe on the football field or basketball court. Occasionally it all got the best of the mild mannered physician and she'd scream “Go Gator.”

Maureen did residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vt. and a fellowship at the University of Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. She returned to Burlington, Vt. where she taught and practiced a number of years before moving to North Carolina. She practiced briefly at the Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem before taking the position at Wendover in 1992.

She was a tireless advocate for her patients. As a cancer doctor, she tenderly cared for some very sick women. She saw it as her mission to ease suffering and find possible cures. She lived a good life, one of service to others. In the years since a stroke forced her into retirement, former patients would greet her in the grocery store and other places and lavish her with praise and thanks.

For years Maureen faced a number of health issues that became increasingly difficult to control. She faced them head on, and did her best to delay the inevitable through exercise, diet and lifestyle changes. She never whined, but was grateful for every day God gave her. She was also grateful for a team of caring Greensboro doctors who extended the length and quality of her life.

She was predeceased by her parents. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her brothers, John Jarrell and wife Kathie of Alachua, Fl., Ricky Jarrell and wife Lisa of Ocala, Fl., grand daughters Lacy Nash of the UK and Vanessa Wells of Boston, and a number of nieces and nephews.

A service will be 2 p.m. Monday Nov. 12 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro, the Rev. Sarah Carver officiating.

In lieu of flowers, Maureen asked that donations be made to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro. Those interested can donate online at habitatgreensboro.org or by check to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, 1031 Summit Ave. Suite 2W-2, Greensboro, NC 27405.

Hanes Lineberry North Elm Chapel is serving the Jarrell family. Online condolences may be sent to www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com