Greta Arnell Harriel's Obituary
Greta was born on May 6, 1936 in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. She was the
oldest child of Juanita Elizabeth Simmons. When she was 12 years old, she moved to
Cleveland, OH where she was raised by her mother and William A. Simmons
Senior. Greta attended public school in Cleveland and graduated with honors. She
left home at the age of 17 to attend Harlem Hospital School of Nursing in New York
City. It was here she met several friends with whom she would remain close for the
rest of her life. After nursing school, she met and married John Boykin Harriel. They
settled in New York City.
Greta had one child, Kyla. The family moved to upstate New York where they
lived for over 25 years. During this time, Greta held many different careers from
registered nurse to special education teacher. A lover of education, she went back to
school — while working full time — and received her Masters in Special Education
from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1986. She continued her studies and
received her M.S. from Pace University in 1992 and most proudly, her Ph.D. from St.
John’s University in 2002. She culminated her career as a high school principal in
the Bronx, NY.
After retiring, she and John moved to Las Vegas, NV where she continued
teaching in the local public schools. She remained in Las Vegas until her husband
passed away in 2012. She subsequently moved to Brentwood, CA to be closer to her
family. While in Brentwood, she volunteered her time teaching at the local
elementary school where she loved working with the young students.
Declining health in 2017 caused Greta to move to Quail Lodge Retirement
home in Antioch, CA. Although initially fearful of moving to a new residence, she fell
in love with Quail and made many new friends.
Greta was a caring, generous, and fun-loving woman with a warm, outgoing
personality. She was great at making new friends, and loved to travel. Her
grandchildren were her pride and joy! It is a testament to her kindness and how
much she was loved, that dear friends and children of dear friends continued to call
and visit her throughout her life.
Greta leaves to cherish her memory: a sister, Phyllis Shaw; a daughter, Kyla
and her husband Kuni; a niece, Vanessa Shaw-Dore; two nephews, Dr. Tyler Shaw
and Trevor Shaw; three beloved grandchildren, Jackson, Jihae, and Jayden; and a
host of other dear friends and extended family members.
What’s your fondest memory of Greta?
What’s a lesson you learned from Greta?
Share a story where Greta's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Greta you’ll never forget.
How did Greta make you smile?