Robert Don Powell, affectionately known as “Bob” passed away on December 8, 2022 at the Veterans Hospital Hospice Unit in Little Rock, AR. He was 89 years old.
He was born on April 22, 1933 in Conway, AR. He is preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Virgie Powell, brother Bill, and sister Pat. His other sister Martha currently resides in Hot Springs, AR.
Bob married the love of his life, Mary Jo Brown, on January 24, 1958. They were married for 63 amazing years. Bob never thought he would be married, until he met Jo on a blind date and she captured his heart.
They have two sons, Mitch and Brian, and their wives, Sandy and Krissi, who they refer to as their “daughters”. They have five grandchildren, CeCe, Gregg, Tyler, Peyton, and Taylor and five great grandchildren, Jonathon, Ashlynne, Asher, Ava Claire, and Anderson.
Bob graduated from Benton High School and enlisted in the Navy where he proudly served as a hangar flight deck operator on the aircraft carrier USS Essex in the Korean War. Bob thoroughly enjoyed his time serving his country in the Navy and often stated he would re-enlist again if he had the chance. He then went to work for Southwestern Bell, starting as an installation/repairman and ended his 35-year career as a Facility Plant Engineer.
After being discharged from the Navy and his marriage to Jo, Bob experienced a life changing event. He met Jesus as his Lord and Savior. And the Lord turned this self-declared bachelor into a loving family man and a servant of the Lord whose ministry has impacted many lives.
Bob was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher at Unity Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR, Temple Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR, and Calvary Baptist Church in Warren, AR where he served as Chairman of the Deacons for 20 years.
Bob would be the first individual to visit someone who was in the hospital or nursing home. Additionally, he was very involved in visiting people to share the love of Jesus with them by going to individual homes and regularly visiting inmates in the county jail. As he loved people, Bob made friends quickly, and you would not be around him long without realizing he was a genuine man who cared about you and had a deep love and faith in the Lord.
Bob loved to work with wood, and created many bread and potato boxes for family and friends. Bob loved to go camping, fishing, boating, water skiing, and raised his family in these activities. He loved life, loved his family, and loved doing these activities with them. He and Jo retired and moved from Little Rock to Jo’s homeplace in Rye, AR where they’ve lived for the past 25 years.
Bob will be dearly missed by his family and friends, but we celebrate a life that has ushered many into the Kingdom of Heaven and we rejoice, even with tears, that his faith has now become sight.
Funeral service was 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at Calvary Baptist Church. Burial was in Union Cemetery by Frazer’s Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church.