Dr. Leo H. Powers, Jr.
May 7, 1934 — June 1, 2017
Dr. Leo Hugh Powers, Jr., age 83, resident of Somerville and husband of Helen Powers, departed this life Thursday morning, June 1, 2017 at the National HealthCare Center in Somerville.
Services of Remembrance for Dr. Powers were conducted at 3 P.M. Sunday, June 11, 2017 at the Somerville Church of Christ with Bro. Jimmy Moffitt officiating. Personal remarks were given by Elliott Lambert, Will Tippitt, George Adams and Darryl Beard. Charlie German led the congregational singing. Interment was private. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center – Main Chapel of Somerville.
Dr. Powers was born May 7, 1934 in Columbus, Mississippi. He was a graduate of Lee High School in Columbus, Class of 1952 and received degrees at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, the Christian Theological Seminary at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, Harding University in in Searcy, Arkansas and received his Doctorate of Ministry at Harding Graduate School in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Powers served as minister for churches in Alabama, Louisiana, Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee. He served as the director of the Christian Student Centers at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana and at the Northeast Louisiana University at Monroe, Louisiana.
Dr. Powers was married June 21, 1954 to the former Helen Kesler. He was most recently the minister at Somerville Church of Christ and started the prison mission program at the Hardeman County Correctional Facility in Whiteville, Tennessee. Dr. Powers enjoyed reading, walking, jogging, teaching, preaching and singing. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Dr. Powers is survived by his wife of 62 years, Helen Powers of Somerville, TN; his daughter, Whitney K. Powers of Charleston, SC; his son, Leo “Rusty” Powers, III of Somerville, TN; two sisters, Margaret Heirs (Scott) of North Little Rock, AR, Jane Riffel (Darrell) of Hot Springs Village, AR; his brother, William L. “Bill” Powers (Peggy) of Troy, MI; and his granddaughter, Olive Gardner.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo Hugh Powers, Sr. and Pauline Anna Dodson Powers.
The family requests that memorials be directed to the Shelby County Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association – Research Foundation, 713 S. Mendenhall Road, Memphis, TN 38117.