Robert was a professional dog trainer for 33 years. He trained 4400 dogs which included 49 elite finished retrievers, along with Dinger the baseball dog for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Scout of the Durham Bulls. He also trained all breeds for obedience and served at one time as President of the Palmetto Retriever Club.

Robert was born November 17, 1947, a son of the late Robert Monroe and Marjorie Arnette Harwell. He graduated from Hemingway High School and Charleston Southern University.

He was an avid duck hunter and had a love for the great outdoors. He was a member of the Pee Dee Ducks Unlimited Chapter in Hemingway and the name of his duck hunting club was Cypress Slough. He was a deacon at Kingsburg Baptist Church. Robert was blessed with so many loving friends and family, and he will be greatly missed.

He leaves behind his wife of 43 years, Sherry Swan Harwell; daughters, Shelly (Yanis) Bellil of Charleston and Maggie (Gary) Owens of Johnsonville; and lovingly known as “Old Grandad” to his four grandchildren, Bailey and Dylan Owens, Corinne and Maksem Bellil.; sister, June Stuckey of Kingstree; brothers, Jerry (Patti) Harwell of Georgetown and Ken Harwell of Beaufort; 6 nephews, 2 nieces, and 2 great-nieces.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 11:00 in the Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Hemingway with burial to follow in the Ephesus Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 till 8:00 PM Tuesday at Morris Funeral Home, 416 N. Main St., Hemingway, SC 29554.

In lieu of flowers a personal donation of blood or a donation to the American Red Cross, 1555-B West Palmetto St., Florence, SC 29501 or a Red Cross location near you, will be greatly appreciated.