Janice Hobbs Powell

Janice Hobbs Powell of Fort Smith, Arkansas departed this life peacefully in her home on May 20, 2023 surrounded by family. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, Janice was also a Civic Leader, serving on several boards including the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation, Sparks Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, Fort Smith Public Schools Foundation serving as Director, and the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs, where she served as the organization’s first female President.

She was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith, a member of the Discussion Sunday School Class and she offered her service on multiple church committees and boards throughout the years. From her Bridge Group to Birthday Club, weekend movies, dinner groups, traveling and more, Janice loved nothing more than quality time with her friends and family.

Born in Fort Smith on November 20, 1941, Janice graduated from Fort Smith High School in 1959 and went on to study at Tulsa University, where she was Treasurer of the Business Women’s Club and the Secretary of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Following college, she married David and went to work with her parents in what would become a four-generation family hotel business, Hobbs and Curry FLP.

Janice is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Mabel Hobbs of Fort Smith; her first husband, Charles David Curry, Sr. in 1971; her husband of 48 years, Robert Morgan Powell in 2021; and daughter Maud Powell Mulvany in 2019. A single child who always wished for a large family, Janice said her greatest blessing was the beautiful family she and Bob created together.

She is survived by her children, Charles David Curry, Jr and his wife Annette of Tavernier, Florida, and David’s children, Colby Lane Curry and his wife, Kayla and their daughter, Emery Lane Curry of Fort Smith, Chesley Afton Curry and her daughters, Lilly and Olivia of Fayetteville, Evelyn Curry Izaguirre and her husband, Phil of Fayetteville, Sky Moore and her husband, Dylan and their daughter, Addyson of Islamorada, Florida, and Hunter Slate of Tavernier, Florida; her son, Dwight Hobbs Curry of Fort Smith; her daughter, Lynn Curry Gilliland and her husband, Clay and their children, Robert David Weidman and Matthew Raynor Weidman of Fort Smith and Taylor Campbell Butler and her husband Aaron of Little Rock; Carolyn Powell Hartley and her husband, Ken their children Mackenzie Powell Hartley and Kelso Wayne Hartley of Dallas, Texas; Maud’s children, Robert Booth Ramsay, his wife Jessica and their children, Olive Jane Ramsay and James Webb Ramsay of Woodland Hills, California, Sara Morgan Ramsay of San Diego, California and Allison Ainsley Ramsay of San Mateo, California; Annie Powell Hendricks and her husband, Andy, of Fort Smith and their children, Emma Maud Holden and her husband Grant, and their daughter Sally Redding Holden, Rachel McClain Hendricks and Andrew Powell Hendricks of Fayetteville.

A funeral service will be held in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, Fort Smith on Wednesday, May 24 at 10:00 am, with a private family graveside service under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are her grandchildren; Honorary Pallbearers are the Discussion Sunday School Class.

Very special gratitude from the family for the love and care of Sabrina Brevard, Jessica Garner, Kim Oliver and Annette Polk, as well as Dr. Varant B. Arzoumanian, Zach and the loving staff at Baptist Health Cancer Center and Dr. David Staggs and Kayla at Heart of Hospice. We’ll miss you, Mom / Mimi. Love you, love you, love you.

Those wishing to honor her life may direct donations to First United Methodist Church, 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith AR 72903, the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation at P.O. Box 3649, Fort Smith AR 72913, or the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs, 6015 Boys Club Lane, Fort Smith AR 72908.