Earl was a tall, handsome gentleman who looked very much like hismothe r, complete with the dark hair and complexion. In his youngerdays his h air was quite wavy, possibly a trait from the Powell side,although his f ather did not have that much hair, compared to othersin his family. E arl's good looks were often compared to the oldmovie star, Randolph Sc ott.
He was a member of the Methodist Church of Arthur.
Residences & events in his life:
Being just 14 when his mother died and his father being absent much oft he time, he soon quit school and starting working at various jobs.His o lder sisters did their best to keep track of him and theirfather but w ere not always successful in either case.
NE. While still a young lad, he went west to work as a migrant farmero n the grain farms of the great plains. His tenure there is unknown.
Arthur, Douglas Co, IL, where Earl eventually landed as a farmer onhis o wn property.
Bef 1928 Earl and his family took in his ailing father, along withsis ter, Ella. They were living in a 2 bedroom house at the time butmanag ed to squeeze together enough to accommodate.
1930 Lowe Twp, Moultrie Co, IL. At census time Earl was 33, Alta was3 4 year old. They had children: Merle, 11; Catherine, 9; and Duane,3. L iving with them was Earl's widowed sister, Ella G Michaels, 35.
Lovington, Moultrie Co, IL, was their address in several of the Powellr eunion rosters.
Decatur, IL. Following retirement from the farm, Earl and Alta movedt o the city for the last 17 years of his life. During part of thattime h e worked as a mechanic in a gas station there.
Quoting again from Dorisgene Van Gundy Webb:
"Uncle Earl was a giant of a man, it was so easy to look up to him! Hew as so kind and gentle. One Christmas I got a bundle of switches (Iwas t old I had asked for them) but I can't remember much else that Igot tha t year. Uncle Earl felt so sorry for me that he went out thenext day a nd bought my one and only doll! And Aunt Alta knew I lovedspiced peac hes so she made sure they were always on the table when wewent there t o eat."
A grandchild has some very special memories:
" You never forget your first 'Best Friend.' Especially when heha ppens to be your grandpa. Mine was my Grandpa Powell.
The earliest story of my Grandpa's involvement in my life is thes tory my father told me many times over the years. It was my Grandpaan d Grandma's visit to see me for the first time in Jarman Hospital,Tusc ola. I was brand new, but it was a difficult delivery and Momand I sh owed the battle wounds. My right arm was in a little sling,my forehea d was cut from the instruments, and my eyes were swollenand back and b lue.
As they looked through the nursery glass at me, my Grandma madeth e mistake of saying, 'Our first grandchild is sure one ugly mess!'Wit hout one second of hesitation Grandpa jumped to my defense bytelling h er in no uncertain terms, 'That has to be the prettiest babyI've ever s een, and if you are going to talk like that, you can go
wait in the car.'
That was my Grandpa! Always aware of the need to see the beautyi n all God's people. Especially the little kids.
When I reflect on my first 'Best Friend' my eyes cloud with tearso f joy as I think about the man who looked like Randolph Scott (themovi e star) - who taught me how to milk a cow, catch a fish, shootpool, ri de a horse, and drive a car.
When, at 16, I thought my '49 Chevy needed lowering blocks tomake t he back end sit low, my dad wasn't too keen on the idea. So, Idrove t o Decatur to talk to Grandpa about this life or deathsituation. After a s hort discussion Grandpa and I thought we should
put on a set of blocks just to have a look. After we installed those6 " blocks, we almost couldn't get the Chevy off the lift at the gasstat ion where Grandpa worked.
When Dad came home from work I watched him stop for a moment andl ook at my car before he came into the house. 'What happened to yourca r?' he asked. Very quickly, I responded, 'Grandpa and I aretrying ou t a new look that we like.' No more was said about it,because my best f riend was also my Dad's (best friend).
I watched my Dad display the same qualities of love andfriendship t o my kids and now that this grandpa thing has infiltratedmy life, my g reatest hope is that someday my grandkids will look onme with the same l ove and friendship as I do my Grandpa.
Leroy Earl Powell"
"EARL POWELL DIES, RITES HELD TUESDAY MAY 21 1964
EARL POWELL, 67 OF DECATUR DIED AT 11PM SATURDAY, MAY 10 AT HIS HOME.
HE WAS BORN IN SULLIVAN, JAN 6 1897 TO ANSEL AND KATE POWELL. HE WAS ARETIRED FARMER AND HAD RESIDED IN DECATUR FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS. HEWAS A MEMBER OF THE ARTHUR METHODIST CHURCH. MR. POWELL IS SURVIVED BYHIS WIFE, ALTA, TWO SONS, MERLE OF ATWOOD AND DUANE OF LOVINGTON, ONEDAUGHTER MRS. CATHERINE AGGE OF ARTHUR, ONE BROTHER,JOE OF LAMESA, CA,TWO SISTERS, MRS. STANLEY WALKER OF DECATUR AND MRS. EDNA VAN GUNDY OFMATTOON AND SIX GRANDCHILDREN.
FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD AT 2PM TUESDAY IN MCMULLINS FUNERAL HOME INSULLIVAN WITH THE REV. KENNETH PLUMMER, PASTOR OF THE ARTHUR METHODISTC HURCH, OFFICIATING.
BURIAL WAS IN GREENHILL CEMETERY"
He died of a massive heart attack.
His funeral was held at 2 PM on Tuesday in the McMullin Funeral Homeof S ullivan with Rev Kenneth Plummer, of the Arthur Methodist Church,offic iating.
