The family lived in a small town called Angora, 25 miles south of Alliance.When John was in junior high, the family moved to Bridgeport, NE, and he graduated from high school there in 1953. After graduation, he attended NebraskaWesleyan University, becoming a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Art degree.

While attending Nebraska Wesleyan, John met his first wife, Nita Ray Matz, and they had a son. John served in the U. S. Army, from 1958-1960, as a medical laboratory technician. He was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany.

After his service in the Army, he returned to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he met his future wife and life partner, Beverly Jean Johnson, who was teaching kindergarten in Lincoln. They were married and had a daughter. In 1961, John and family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he become an underwriter for Capital Life Insurance Company and was eventually promoted to regional Vice President. During this time, another daughter was born in 1963. After many years at Capital Life, John joined Woodman of the World as Vice President.

In the mid-1980s, John started his own business, Powell Financial LLC, where he redesigned and marketed cafeteria insurance plans. In 1997, he retired to the Pebble Creek Golf Course community outside of Phoenix, Arizona. After 5 years in the desert, John and Bev wanted to be closer to family, so they moved to Montrose, Colorado, where they have lived since 2001.

John is survived by his loving wife, Bev; children, Scott Heaton (Diane Hawthorne) of Omaha, NE, Carla Albertelli (Jim Jamieson) of Parker, CO, and Jana Powell of Montrose, CO. John is also survived by grandchildren Christa (Drew) Doutrich of Highlands Ranch, CO, Rachel (Isaac) Hebert of Omaha, NE, and Ryan Heaton of St. Charles, MO; 3 great-grandchildren, Corbin, Sam and Greyson Doutrich of Highlands Ranch, CO; also several nieces and nephews.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Opal Powell; brother Lloyd Powell Jr.; sisters Darlene Worth and Jurene Green; and son-in-law, Paul Albertelli.

A celebration of John’s life was held July 11 at Montrose United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made in John’s honor to HopeWest Hospice, 725 S. 4th Street Montrose, CO, 81401.