Melton Harbin

Mel Harbin has completed his earthly pilgrimage and has entered triumphantly that realm that God has prepared for those who love Him on August 10, 2007 in Waynesville, NC at the age of 86. Mel grew up in North Georgia, the last of eleven children born to the late Thomas Richard Harbin and Nancy Emma Harbin. He was preceded in death by his son, Melton Timothy Harbin on February 4, 2006. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Hilda Hutcherson Harbin of 523 Golf Course Road, Waynesville, NC where they resided since Mel's retirement in 1985 from being Director of Lake Junaluska Assembly. He is also survived by a daughter, Nancy Karen Harbin of Jamestown, NC and two grandsons, Matthew Harbin Bowles of Jamestown, NC and Adam Bowles and his wife, Chasity of High Point, NC. He graduated from high school at Martin Institute, Jefferson, GA in 1939. At the age of 18, he answered God's call to ministry in the Methodist Church. He enrolled at Young Harris Junior College in the fall of 1939 and graduated in 1941. He was invited to come into Western North Carolina and be the pastor of the Fines Creek Charge of five churches in Haywood and Madison Counties. He preached his first sermon at Fines Creek on December 7, 1941…"a day that will live in infamy"… President Roosevelt said of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After two years on the Fines Creek Charge, he enrolled at High Point College and graduated there in 1945 and graduated from the Duke Divinity School in 1948. While at High Point College and first year at Duke, he served as student pastor of the Eldorado Charge and the Mt. Vernon Charge. He joined the WNC Conference in 1946 and was ordained a deacon. Following graduation from Duke Divinity School, he was asked to organize a church in Charlotte. Thus, the St. Paul United Methodist Church was born in the Sedgefield Community in the fall of 1948. Thereafter, he served the WNC Conference as follows: Oakley in Asheville; organized Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro in 1956; Memorial in Thomasville; Central in Monroe; District Superintendent in Salisbury for six years; Broad Street in Statesville; Director of Lake Junaluska Methodist Assembly from 1977 until 1985, when he retired. Mel served the WNC Conference in the following capacities: Registrar of the Board of Ministry for four years; Secretary and Chairman of the College Coordinating Council; active member of the Board of Trustees of High Point University since 1962; member of the Conference Board of Education for 10 years. He was a delegate to two World Methodist Conferences: London, England 1966 and Denver, CO in 1970 and was a delegate to South Eastern Jurisdictional Conference 1972 and alternate delegate to General Conference. Mel was a Rotarian for 33 years and while in Monroe, NC, he served on the Urban Redevelopment Commission. His hobbies were golf, fishing, hunting and gardening. He was an avid, competitive student of the game of golf. He was instrumental in initiating and raising funds for the new clubhouse at Junaluska Golf Course. He was a people person and above all, he loved the Lord Jesus Christ and had a passionate desire to see His church relevant in term not only of personal salvation but of peace and justice. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, August 17, 2007 at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville with Reverend Dr. W. Lyn Sorrells, Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey, Reverend Ed Nelson and Linda Lindsey officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to Lake Junaluska Assembly, Golf Clubhouse, P.O. Box 67, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.

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