Gerald C. Powell

In his heart, he holds courage,

In his heart, he holds our lives

A brave soldier on the front lines and off

A brave soldier is he.

It was not only bravery, but it was a commitment to service. Gerald’s life was premised on that pledge to serve his fellow man as best as he could. His life is an anthology of laughs and loves, stories of strife and of strength, valiance and vigor, and most certainly of character and compassion. Gerald C. Powell was born on September 24, 1953, to his parents Lars McVan Powell and Rosa Mae Cain-Powell in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. God called Gerald home peacefully on Thursday February 09, 2023, surrounded by his loved ones.

Cool as ice. Calm as clear evenings after a rainfall. Those are just a couple of idioms to describe his personality. He loved his family and as a soldier, one could say he loved his country. Gerald’s mission and many of his life’s hallmarks were centered on excellence, holistic development, and continued support for those he loved, admired, respected, and worked with. Gerald served in the United Stated Army from 1975 to 1994. While there are many benefits of joining the military, Gerald not only saw this opportunity to develop his self-discipline and strong work ethic but, it was his chance to give back to his country. It was a sense of duty, honor and selflessness that inspired him and so many others to serve.

His mother, Rosa Mae has played an integral part of who Gerald was. Much of his ability to think critically and quickly, his strong sense of values and the role God played in his life were among the many attributes and blessings passed on to Gerald. Much of those life lessons and the skills needed to be a meaningful global citizen he passed on to his children.

Throughout his life, he married Angela Powell (Hayes) and together, that union produced his first born, Christopher Powell in 1984. Gerald remarried Patricia Powell (Pickens) and their partnership produced Miquel Powell and a blended family which included daughters, Julie Pickens and Kimberly Hall-Pippins and son, Wayne Hall, Jr. Their family also includes grandchildren: Aaliyah, Aarion, J’Sean, Ali, and Amir.

Gerald was undoubtedly committed to his country, his family, and his work and throughout the years developed and honed his skills as an effective logistics management specialist. More than that, he loved the Lord. He became an ordained deacon in 1992 at Progressive II Church of God in Christ (Colorado Springs, CO) by District Superintendent William R. Ephriam. Gerald remained faithful in his devotion to the Lord through the Fort Leavenworth Multicultural Gospel Service in Fort Leavenworth, KS.

Of course, Gerald’s upbeat personality earned him the nickname “The Mayor” at work, because he would always take the time to check on everyone daily. He was an intelligent and keen listener and was always willing and able to provide help and sound advice to anyone who reached out to him. He was a lifelong fan of the Washington Commanders (formerly the Redskins) and like most football fans, he enjoyed being behind the grill and deep frying the turkey every holiday. He was also an outdoorsy type too, enjoying every opportunity he got to go fishing and farming, and he particularly enjoyed working with the goats and pigs. In addition to that, he was a fanatic of antique car shows. To say that Gerald lived a full life is a gross understatement for the ages, but as he hoped, we carry his lessons, passions, and compassion in our hearts.

Gerald leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Rosa Mae Powell of Emporia, VA, wife, Patricia Powell of Leavenworth, KS, five children, Christopher Powell of Richmond, VA, Miquel Powell of Kansas City, MO, Julie Pickens of Leavenworth, KS, Kimberly Hall-Pippins of Leavenworth, KS, Wayne Hall Jr of Kansas City, MO, five grandchildren, Aaliyah Pickens of Leavenworth, KS, Aarion Pickens of Leavenworth, KS, J ’Sean Pippins of Leavenworth, KS, Ali Pickens of Leavenworth, KS, Amir Pickens of Leavenworth, KS, three brothers, Edward Powell, Sr. (Geneva) of Emporia VA, Bernard Powell of Petersburg, VA, and Floyd Powell of Emporia, VA, and three sisters, Sarah Ross (William) of Hampton, VA, Cynthia Wood (David) of Emporia, VA, and Margaret Gillus (Anthony) of Emporia, VA., and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends that he cared for deeply.

Gerald was preceded in death by his father, Lars McVan, and four brothers Washington Powell, Robert Powell, Willie Powell, and Lars Powell, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made on Gerald’s behalf to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. For more information, log on to https://www.pcf.org.