"To Ray's family and Darlene and her family, My prayers and sympathy to all. Ray was a "cool guy" that I had the privilege of meeting and knowing while I worked at the drug store in Malvern. I enjoyed our conversations and we had many laughs. Deb Smith"
In loving memory of
Raymond Powell
April 17, 2010
Raymond Anthony Powell, one of two children of Raymond A. Powell and Amelia A. (Anthony) Powell was born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 28, 1926. Ray graduated from Omaha's North High School at age 17 and enlisted in the United States Army near the end of World War II. He was always proud of his middle name, as their family lineage could be traced back to Susan B. Anthony. Following the war, Ray returned to Omaha and began working for the Armor Company at the Omaha Stockyards where he scheduled delivery routes and coordinated shipments for the company.
On July 7, 1951, Ray and Roberta Louise Ballard were married at Louise's Aunt's home in Omaha. The newly married couple made their home in Omaha, and Ray continued to work for Armor until his activation by the Air Force Reserve during the Korean War. Ray served as a Senior Intelligence Operations Specialist until the end of the war in 1953.
Ray returned to the Armor Company as Traffic Manager and the family was blessed with two children, Anita Louise and Glen Anthony. The family moved to St. Joseph, Missouri and then in 1967 to Cedar Falls, Iowa where he worked for Neidt Freight. In 1971, the family returned to Omaha where Ray worked as the Traffic Manager for General Leisure Corporation and also taught logistics and traffic management courses at Creighton University.
Ray was an accomplished organist, and a member of the Millard American Legion Post No. 0374. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to canoe, fish, and camp. He kept a trailer at the Omaha Fish and Wildlife Club, and also enjoyed working with his hands, reading, dancing and listening to music. Ray was the best at what he did and was always very organized. He was a member of the Eagles Club, Delta Nu Alpha, and the Nebraska and Texas Navies. He loved his family and spending time with them. Ray and Louise had been married 43 years when Louise died in 1994.
Ray met Darlene Johnson of Malvern, Iowa at a dance in Omaha one evening. The couple became great friends, and Ray later moved to Malvern, where they enjoyed each others companionship and attending area activities.
Ray peacefully passed away on April 17, 2010 at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the age of 83 years, 8 months, and 19 days. He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife Louise.
Ray is survived by his daughter Anita Morse of Salt Lake City, UT; son Glen Powell and wife Eun-Joo "EJ" Hong Powell of Chino, CA; two grandchildren; sister Virginia Oberst of Albuquerque, NM; companion and girlfriend Darlene Johnson of Malvern and her family Roger Johnson and wife Lavina, of Malvern; Bob Johnson and wife Melissa of Mesa, AZ; Joanne Strait of Red Oak; and many friends.
Tributes
"Uncle Ray was always a fun guy to be around. I gave him his first motorcycle ride about 4 years ago and he seemed to really enjoy it. My thoughts and prayers go out to his children, Glen and Anita and to his sister (my Mom) Virginia Oberst of Albuquerque. Also, our thoughts and prayers go out to Darlene and her family and friends who so willingly wrapped their arms around Uncle Ray when he and Darlene got together. Uncle Ray enjoyed living in Malvern. He enjoyed the small town warmth, compared to living in Omaha, and I know when Les and I went over there and had dinner with Uncle Ray, Darlene and her family, he seemed to be very content with his life. He will be greatly missed by all. Candy Hunt "