Carl Powell

Carl Powell

Augusta, GA – Herman “Carl” Powell was born in Augusta in 1931, at the outset of the Great Depression. He lost his father Starling Powell, Jr to illness when he was ten years old, began as a newspaper delivery boy at Camp Gordon at age twelve, and joined the Air Force when he was seventeen and where he served for four years. He was a Commended Veteran of the Korean War, a multiple medal recipient and was a Control Tower Operator in Japan, Korea, on the Johnston Atoll, and in many US States. On one occasion, he was commended for saving the life of an Air Force pilot, and likely many fellow service members, when his bravery and swift expert action prevented the imminent crash of a weapon-laden plane.

Carl returned to Richmond Academy to complete his secondary education, where he fell in love with his bride-to-be of 64 years - the beautiful Doris O’Tyson Powell. Over the next six decades, they went on to have four children, three grandchildren and a great-grandson, all of whom were their complete pride and joy, and who Carl loved with outspoken pride. Other than his military service, and a period working in the Atlanta area, Carl was a lifelong Augusta native, and he spent the majority of his career at Plant Vogtle, where he was a chemical coating engineer until his retirement in 1996.

In addition to his deep love for his family, Carl was an ardent lover of nature and the great outdoors. Through research and frequent application, he developed a true expertise in wildlife cultivation, along with an impressively detailed knowledge of most of the streams, creeks, other tributaries, lakes and rivers for successful fishing and hunting throughout the greater middle Georgia region, and his hunting adventures reached even farther, including dove hunting in Sierra Nevada, Argentina with his son and grandson at the young age of 84.

Carl was known most of all, however, for his character - especially his compassion for others, a self-effacing modesty, impeccable integrity that was second nature to him, and well-known good humor and quick wit. He understood hard work and what it takes to build a good and meaningful life for his family and himself, and he had great compassion for how hard it often was for those less fortunate than himself. He was very generous with whatever he had, and especially quick with a joke or quip to lift the spirits of everyday folk he encountered. He saw the lighter side of life, even when things were tough, and he was widely known and loved for this character trait of bringing laughter to others.

Another defining aspect of his character was the protective nature he showed toward his family, friends and the community at large, and although thankfully he did not die from Covid-19, he insisted that his friends and family wear masks and practice social distancing to help eradicate this terrible disease.

In recent years, he spoke with his family about having had a full, complete and blessed life, and about how thankful he was that his children were so involved in his life. And during these last months, he seemed to sense that the time was coming for him to peacefully pass on through to a higher plane to be with his Heavenly Father and reunite with his many friends - and especially with his grandparents, parents, four brothers, a sister and his beloved first-born daughter - all already in Heaven - where undoubtedly today he is sharing with them more of his quick wit and good humor, whether they like it or not.

Family members, in addition to his wife, include his sons: Steven B. Powell (Zahra), Bruce S. Powell (Melissa); daughter: Susan J. Powell (Jodi); grandchildren: Samantha Servidio (Brady), Alessandra Powell, Brendan Powell; great-grandchild: Maddox Ksionzyk; sister: Pamela Chance; brother-in-law: Wesley Chance; sisters-in-law: Hilda Powell, Phyllis Powell, Kitty O’Tyson and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his daughter: Kathryn Diane Powell.

The memorial service will be held Friday, September 11, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. in the chapel of Thomas Poteet & Son with Chaplain Mike Sides officiating. The family requests all guests in attendance wear masks and follow all CDC social distancing guidelines.

If desired, a memorial contribution can be made to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, 2428 Persimmon Road, Augusta, GA 30904, in memory of beloved daughter Kathryn Diane Powell.

Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com