Edwin Erle Powell, Jr.

Edwin Erle Powell, Jr., age 68, of Gatesville passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, August 24, 2014. A private family graveside service will be held. A celebration of his life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at First United Methodist Church in Gatesville, Texas with the Rev. Gene Gurley officiating. Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Edwin was born on July 24, 1946 in Temple, Texas to Erle and Mary Ross Powell of Gatesville. He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1964 and was a 1968 cum laude graduate from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1971 and was a member of Delta Theta Phi. He served in the Army Reserves for six years. He married Diana (DeDe) Spiva in Fredericksburg on November 28, 1970. They resided in Austin for one more year while Edwin finished law school before moving back to Gatesville in 1971. After passing the bar exam, he began the practice of law and served as City Attorney. He was later elected County Attorney of Coryell County, an office he held for more than 30 years. He later became the Executive Director of the Gatesville Housing Authority for nine years until his illness. He also continued in private practice. He was a member of the State Bar of Texas and was past president of the Coryell County Bar Association. Edwin has always been very active in civic groups like the American Cancer Society and the Lions Club. As a proud Lion, he was named Lion of the Year in 2009 and served as the Tailtwister. He also was on the Coryell Memorial Hospital Board and the board of CASA, the Children’s Advocacy Center. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Banks of Central Texas. He also was the President of the Gatesville I.S.D. Education Foundation which grants to deserving Gatesville teachers for their classrooms. Last fall, he was presented the Norris Graves Award for Outstanding Alumna of Gatesville High School. Edwin was an avid Gatesville Hornet and Texas Longhorn sports fan, who had season tickets for UT baseball for more than 35 years. He and his family visited every major league baseball park on summer vacations. During the last several years, he has enjoyed going on cruises all over the world. He was preceded in death by his son, Ryan Spiva Powell in 2005. Edwin in survived by his wife of almost 44 years, DeDe Powell; and by his daughter, Dina Powell of Austin. He is also survived by his parents, Erle and Mary Powell; his sister, Celia Healey and her husband, Dr. William Healey of San Antonio; two nephews, Peter Healey and his wife, Ashley and Michael Healey; and great-nephew, Preston Healey. Honorary pallbearers are Van Jones, Dr. Bob Bates, Dr. John Bates, Hal Anderson, Hon. Phil Zeigler, John Ward, Danny Loerwald, Jack Maxwell, Bob Scott, Reed Williams, Hon. Lee Yeakel, Gary Chumley, his nephews, Peter Healey and Michael Healey, his godson, Patrick McAndrew, David Martin, Dick Gellasch, Gary Davis, Dr. Joe Kenworthy, and Jose Peña. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Ryan and Edwin Powell Scholarship Fund, c/o The National Banks of Central Texas, P.O. Box 779, Gatesville, Texas 76528 or The Gatesville I.S.D. Education Foundation, P.O. Box 245, Gatesville, Texas 76528. Memorials may also be made to the Gatesville Lions Club Scholarship Fund, c/o Kathy Crawford, 118 Gates Dr., Gatesville, Texas 76528; First United Methodist Church, 2600 E. Main St., Gatesville, Texas 76528; or the American Cancer Society, 102 Alta Mira, Gatesville, Texas 76528. The family would like to thank Coryell Home Health Care, especially Martha James, Geneva Muff, and Katie Doyle for their excellent care.