Chauncey George Powis

Chauncey George Powis was born on February 22, 1926, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Mabel

Evans and Richard George Powis. He grew up in the Avenues Historic District and was raised by

his father, whom he adored. Chauncey often reminisced about road trips they took together in his

father's Model A Ford. They traveled to various national parks and historic sites, from Mexico to

Canada.

Tragically, his father passed away in 1940 when Chauncey was just 14 years old. In later years,

Chauncey continued to cherish memories, frequently speaking fondly of their unique friendship

and those trips to places like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. He kept an old photo of his

dad on the table next to his recliner.

Later, Chauncey lived with his sister, Louisa Powis Williams, and her husband, Jack, while

attending East High School (graduating in 1944) until enrolling in the U.S. Army Air Corps, a

precursor to the United States Air Force.

He served honorably as a crew member and radio operator on board the B-17 bomber. Although

Dad was not deployed overseas, my brothers and I still enjoyed hearing stories of his

crewmembers flying aircraft under canyon bridges, dropping sacks of flour for bombing practice,

and cooling their beer from the commissary by taking it up to high altitudes where the air is

thinner, and the temperatures are colder. They even bragged about landing a plane on the runway

without its landing gear.

After the war, Chauncey became a successful radio and television engineer and helped launch

Utah's first television station (KDYL, now KTVX, Channel 4) in 1948. That same year, he met

the love of his life, Marjorie Louise Beck, who was impressed that he kept showing up after their

first date. She said that he took her skis home, waxed them, and brought them back to her tuned-

up.

The two were married on September 17, 1949, in the Chapel of Transfiguration, a small log

chapel in Grand Teton National Park, in Moose, Wyoming. The chapel, built in 1925 was sited

and built to frame a view of the Cathedral Group of peaks in a large window behind the altar.

The chapel is a favorite gathering place for family still to this day. Marjorie and Chauncey just

recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.

They had three sons: Chauncey George Powis, Jr., Christopher "Kit" Richard Powis, and Shaun

Herbert Powis.

Throughout Chauncey's career, he worked for multiple Utah State agencies: including the Utah

Highway Department and the Utah Department of Natural Resources. As an avid photographer,

many of his photographs were featured in publications and official Utah state maps.

For work and pleasure, our family made trips to southeastern Utah, the gateway to places like

Arches, Bryce, Zion, and Canyonlands National Parks. The massive red rock formations, mesas,

and buttes became our playground as my parents taught us how to hike, camp, and then drive

jeeps and dirt bikes over rugged terrain like Elephant Hill and the 100-mile White Rim Trail.

In addition to four-wheel drive Jeep trails, Dad's interests included hiking, nature, camping,

photography, classical guitar, the recorder, amateur radio, history, mathematics, mechanics, and

reading. In later years, Dad also took up bike riding and golf and always enjoyed listening to

classical music throughout life.

Chauncey endured several health challenges, including cancer, but always prevailed and would

often say, "Be of good cheer!"

He passed away peacefully in his home with family on October 16th and he is sorely missed by

his sweetheart Marjorie, their three sons, including their spouses, Sandi Gaydon Powis, Shawn

Kelly, and Cherie Dunford Powis, and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.