Col. Leroy Earle Powell

Lt. Col. Leroy Earle Powell, USAF (Ret.) Leroy “Lee” Earle Powell, 91, of Abilene passed away on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest. Lee Powell is survived by his wife, Carroll Reiley March Powell of 68 years, and four children and their spouses: Leroy E. Powell, Jr. and wife Candy of Cypress, CA; Katharine M. Yokley and husband Mike of Arlington, TX; Josephine R. Powell and husband Mike of Ruidoso, NM; and Rebecca P. Cottrell and husband Rod of Snyder, TX. He was the loving grandfather of ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A sister, Loretta Davault, preceded him in death. Mr. Powell was born April 13, 1923 to Earle and Cora Powell in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined and served in the U.S. Navy for two years and went to the University of Missouri at Columbia on the G I Bill. He met his wife, Carroll, who attended Stephens Junior College. They were married March 2, 1946 in Clay County, Arkansas. Lee Powell began a career in the U.S. Air Force starting as a lead bombardier navigator during the Korean War. He later transferred to Intelligence and played an integral part of Looking Glass, USAF Strategic Air Command’s (SAC) Airborne Command Post. Lee Powell retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1970 only because of increased hearing loss. Lee Powell moved to Abilene following his retirement from the USAF. He enrolled at Hardin-Simmons University where he received a Masters Degree in Business. In 1972, he joined the Abilene City Tax Office as the delinquent tax collector. In 1973, he became a member of the Texas Association of Assessing Officers and in 1978 became a Certified Tax Assessor, regarded as the highest honor in the field of taxation. October 1979 found Lee Powell elected as Trustee for Region 2 of the Texas Association of Assessing Officers and was on the association’s governing board. In May 1980, he was selected as Abilene’s City Tax Assessor-Collector, head of Abilene’s Tax Office. Lee Powell, an avid golfer with five witnessed hole-in-ones, continued his love of golfing following his retirement from Abilene. Along with golfing, he began making golf clubs for friends and family. Volunteer jobs included working in the pharmacy at Dyess AFB and joining the Meals on Wheels Program by delivering meals to homebound residents of Abilene. Pallbearers will include his grandchildren, Jesse Yokley, Matthew Powell, Cole Yokley, Michael Powell, Jake Cottrell, and Trent Cottrell.