Sam Powell

Sam Powell, age 84, Kingsport, died Monday, February 19, 2007, at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center. He was a member of First Broad Street United Methodist Church.

Sam graduated in 1942 from his beloved Dobyns-Bennett High School where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He then served during World War II in the United States Marie Corps with the 5th Marine Division at Hilo, Hawaii and Sasebo, Japan. He returned to Kingsport where he worked at Tennessee Eastman 39 years as a service technician from which he retired in 1985. After his retirement, he was active in civic affairs, having been instrumental in bringing the Meadowview Convention Center and Cattails Golf Course to Kingsport. Sam believed in giving back to his community, which he did by serving countless volunteer hours at various charitable organizations. Most recently he volunteered on Tuesdays at the Same Day Service Department of Holston Valley Medical Center where his co-workers lovingly referred to him as ?Mr. Tuesday.?

As an avid sports enthusiast, Sam could be seen on Mondays and Thursdays on local golf courses, at all Dobyns-Bennett home football games, as well as the University of Tennessee football and basketball games. Gardening was another of Sam?s favorite hobbies, and he took great pride in his immaculate lawn and summer vegetables. He loved to travel at home and abroad, some of his favorite places having been Hawaii, Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, Germany, Great-Britain, and Scandinavia. Dollywood was one of his favorite local travels.

Sam was preceded in death by his mother, Ada Caldwell Powell; his father, Sam Powell, Sr.; and his brother, Chester Powell.

He leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Mary Joan ?Jody? Powell of Kingsport; one daughter, Sherry Powell Ketterer and her husband, Harold of Oak Ridge; one granddaughter, DeAnna Ketterer-Owens and her husband, John of Springfield, Virginia; two sisters, Margaret Light and Opal King and her husband, Carl; and one brother, Wayne Powell, all of Kingsport; as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family will receive friends beginning at 12:00 noon on Thursday, February 22nd in the sanctuary of First Broad Street United Methodist Church with the memorial service at 2:00 p.m. The Reverend Jack Edwards will officiate. A military committal will follow at Oak Hill Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to First Broad Street United Methodist Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 1346, Kingsport, TN 37662 or the American Cancer Society, c/o Wanda Grills, 1217 Radcliffe Avenue, Kingsport, TN 37664.