Rev. E. Vaughn Powell: 1922 - 2008
Rev. E. Vaughn Powell, 85, widely acquainted resident of Churubusco and pastor emeritus of Churubusco United Methodist Church, died at 2:15 a. m. on Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. He had been in declining health for the past several months.
Rev. Powell was born on September 12, 1922 in Linneus, Missouri, a son of Alonzo Everett and Marian Rebecca (Stone) Powell. He spent his formative years in Linn County, Missouri, and graduated from Linneus High School in 1940.
As a young man he served with the U. S. Army during World War II, and was married in Hot Springs, Arkansas on November 5, 1944 to Marie W. Sperry. Following his military discharge in 1945, the couple moved to Indianapolis and lived there for ten years. He attended the Jordan School of Music at Butler University, and was called into public ministry at Whitestown in 1958.
Rev. Powell attended Garrett Biblical Institute in Evanston, Illinois, and was a pastor in the North Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church for 32 years. The couple moved to Churubusco in 1990 following his retirement. Pastorates included Kirklin-Lanes Chapel, Mulberry, Otterbein, Churubusco, and LaGrange.
In addition to his ministerial career, his life was marked by affiliations and memberships in several organizations. He was a member and past secretary of Churubusco Lodge 515 F&AM, and was a past master. A member of the Churubusco Lions Club, he had held various Lions Club local and district offices, and was a member of the Gilbert Davis American Legion Post 157 in Churubusco.
An amateur magician, he was a member of the Order of Merlin–International Brotherhood of Magicians for 35 years. He served as a chaplain for the Indiana State Police for many years, and for 24 years served on the board of directors for the Indiana United Methodist Federal Credit Union, serving as its president for ten years. He always volunteered for various community and civic activities, enjoyed traveling, and had a heart for missions and the underprivileged.
The surviving relatives include his wife Marie, to whom he was married for over 63 years; five daughters Linda (Gene) Marshall of Mulberry, Jean (Steve) Wiyatt of Effingham, Ill., Stephanie (Robert) Drake of Champions Gate, Fla., Kimberly Powell of Leo, and Kris (Jim) Fry of Churubusco; a sister Nina Birney of Sublette, Kansas; ten grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters Vera Rinehart, Leona Reid, and Mariam Stillwell; and four brothers William Bradley Powell, Francis Stone Powell, Raymond Alonzo Powell, and Gerald Powell.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p. m. on Saturday, May 31, at the Churubusco United Methodist Church with the Revs. Christine Newman-Jacobs, James Copeland, and David Michel, officiating.
The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Friday from 2-4 and from 6-8 p. m., or at the church one hour prior to the service.
Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery, south of Churubusco, with military graveside rites by the U. S. Army.
The family requests that memorials be directed to the Churubusco United Methodist Church, 750 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723, or the United Methodist Committee on Relief, P. O. Box 9068, New York, New York 10087
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To leave a condolence for the family in Rev. Powell’s memory, please click on “Condolences” below. . .
May 28th, 2008 at 7:32 am
I was so sorry to read about the passing of Rev. Powell. He was truly a rare Gem. I could have sat and listened to him for hours, so many stories so many jokes. He always had a piece of good advice every time I would see him. To his family,he was very proud of all of you. I would get an update each year on how you all were doing and about how proud he was of each one of you. I am sorry for the pain his passing has caused but in time the memories that he has left behind will help you to heal. That is the mark of a great man. God Bless You All
May 28th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Dear Linda and Jean: I was so sorry to hear of your father’s death. He was always so pleasant and personable and such a good preacher. I was always hopeful he would someday move back to Mulberry! I am thinking of you two and your spouses, Marie, and the rest of the family.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:00 am
My heart goes out to your family. You are all in my thoughts & prayers.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:49 am
(((Marie))) and family! You all are in my prayers! Vaughn was such a special guy. I’m so glad I can say he was a friend in Christ. I “know” Vaughn and Wally are with Jesus. To be assured our guys are safe and whole brings peace…. even through tears.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Please accept my sympathy on the passing of your father. I know that many in Mulberry still miss you and your family. Your father was a living example of a good Christian and you have many fond memories to cherish as you work thru this time of sadness.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Words cannot express my saddness at Vaughn’s passing. I trafveled with Vaughn and Marie to Liberia & Sierra Leone in 1980 on a mission trip. That trip changed my life. I began to see it much differently than I had before.
Vaughn and Marie “adopted” me as their son during that trip. Over the last number of years I confided in Waughn when I heard God’s call on my life to ministry. Vaughn told me, “Get out of ministry if you can” with that quirky smile and a little laugh. Later he told me that he and Marie had expected me to become a pastor. They prayed for me for all those years.
Vaughn has been like a father to me and I am grateful for his love, friendship and his mirth. Laughing with Vaughn was one of my favorite things to do. Vaughn was a special man, who loved God and loved people. I will always remember him and his smile, his joking - I’ll miss.
Marie - I love you too and I know this transition will be hard. But I know your faith is strong and that you will be fine. Kris - I am praying and thinking of you during this time. It has not been easy, but I know that you and your family have been a blessing to your parents. You are one of a kind. I send my love and best wishes from one friend to another. To you & your sisters and their families I extend my deepest sympathy. Thank you for sharing your parents with me over the last 28 years. I am a better man becasue of your Dad.
Blessings and Peace to you all,
Rob Ransom
May 29th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I only met Vaughn once when he came to the funeral of his brother, Frank, my father-in-law. He created a special place in my heart and has remained there ever since.
May 29th, 2008 at 11:45 am
To Stephanie, Bob, and Family,
I was so sorry to hear of the passing of your father. I know how difficult this is after losing my parents in the past 3 1/2 years.
Please know that you and your family are in our prayers.
Love to all.
Pam and Rick Brewer
May 29th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
We are members of the LaGrange Methodist Church and remember the friendship and service Vaughn gave to our congregation. We extend our sympathy and celebrate his life. Steve and Ruthie Tetrick
May 29th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
My Grandfather, Francis Stone Powell, was Vaughns brother. I never had the privlege of meeting my grandfather as he passed the year before I was born. I few years ago I was able to attend my first Powell Family Reunion in New Mexico where for the first time I met my Great-Uncle Vaughn (and Great-Aunt Nina, among others!)I felt so LUCKY & Blessed to have had the chance to meet and get to know the wonderful, loving & humorous man who was my Great Uncle. That short period of time left a big smile on my heart! His passing saddens me, but also knowing that he is Home comforts me as well.
My thought and prayers are with Marie & their family at this time and always.
Love~
Kenna Powell
May 29th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I am so sorry to hear of Pastor Powell’s passing. He was a wonderful person with a wonderful out look on life and living. He performed my marriage ceremony and also the baptism of both of my children and will always hold a very special place in my heart. He was also the only preacher I would really listen to, he just had a way about him that was so special. He will be missed but he is home now and I can just see him talking with Jesus and pulling a quarter from behind his ear!!
xoxo
Turla Tribe in Florida
May 29th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
My Uncle Vaughn, met him only once, in Sublette, at a family reunion. I was 10-11 years old. I remember the magic tricks and card tricks. And his big smile and friendly hand on my shoulder.
My thoughts go to Marie and family.
Gary Powell
May 30th, 2008 at 7:06 am
We want to pass on our condolences and sympathies to Marie Powell on the passing of her husband from this life to his eternal reward. We were only acquainted with Rev. Powell, having had him speak in Butler while we served there at Butler United Methodist Church. We wish God’s comfort and encouragement to you now and in the days ahead.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Marie,The memory of Vaughn will be in the hearts of all he gave comfort and guidence too. His gift of humor and caring made each person he met feel better for knowing him.The friendship with Mom & Dad is a fond memory I will hold dear.
God bless you and your family.
Thank you for sharing Vaughn with all that needed him.
Bless and keep you,
Neal & Lorraine
May 30th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I was truly saddened to hear of Uncle Vaughn’s passing. I did not know him as well as I would have liked, but remember meeting him at a family reunion in Sublet, Kansas when I was twelve. He was a wonderful man full of warmth and wit. In many ways he reminded me of my grandfather Frankie. Mine and Jana’s condolences go out to all of those who were fortunate enough to have known, met, and were touched by such an ebulient and affable soul.
June 1st, 2008 at 3:28 pm
We western Powells called him vaughnie, the affectionate term Frankie always used when speaking of his little brother. Older brother Frankie was our beloved Dad, Father-in-law, and Grandfather, and he too was deeply respected and dearly loved. Jean once visited with Vaughnie about Frankie, but he said that because Frankie left home while he was still qiite young, he didn’t recall many stories about him. Even so, Jean was struck by how much they sounded alike, not only in tone of voice but in their spiritual love of people.
Vaughnie’s passing is a great loss to all of us and yet how fortunate to have had such a lovely man in our lives. Vaughnie’s life, like Frankie’s, was surely a blessing to all who new him. What wonderful men they were. We are sure that our Lord greeted them with “Well done good and faithful servant”.
You are in our thoughts and our prayers.
Love,
Don & Jean Powell & Family
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:49 am
To Kris and her family,
I met your dad only a couple of times. But he was always so friendly. He always treated Chantel like one of the family. My prayers are with you and your family.
Tom Hesting
June 15th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Oh, but the world and Churubusco will miss the Rev. Vaughn Powell!
I always told him that he was to officiate at my funeral because he had such a great sense of humor and I wanted him to make everyone laugh.
Somewhere we have a photo of a family member’s wedding rehearsal dinner that shows Rev. Powell with a spoon on his nose, entertaining the little ones (and the big ones).
We enjoyed it when he visited the news office, coffee mug in hand, on his morning walks, to share his world views and philosophies.
He was a wise, humorous and devout man.
I will miss him.