Mayor Powell was born July 3, 1941 to Lewis and Mildred Powell and has been a lifelong resident of Conroe. Mayor Powell attended grades schools and graduated from Conroe High School in 1959. He later attended Sam Houston State University and then started a career as a builder. He was one of the first builders in Conroe and Oak Ridge North.
Toby held many positions in Conroe over the years; he served on the City Planning Commission from 1974-76, City Council in 1977 and 1978 and again in 2008-12 and as mayor pro tem from 2010-12. Additionally, Mr. Powell served as a director on the Conroe Industrial Development Corp. since 2008 and served as a director on the Houston Galveston Area Council from 2008 through 2010. He has also served for four years as director and vice chairman of the Lone Star Family Health Clinic and was the founder of the Conroe Christmas Celebration.
In 2016, Toby was elected Mayor of Conroe, a job he devoted the rest of his life to. He loved his position and worked to do what was best for the citizens until his dying day. Even when the Mayor was fighting cancer you would find him at all special events and functions he could possibly attend whether it was for fire fighters, police, citizens, employees, etc. He would do his best to attend. Mayor Toby’s love for the citizens was unsurpassed.
Mayor Powell fought a good fight and finished his course here on Earth, but he is now well and whole in Heaven. Those of us who know Jesus as Savior will one day reunite with him.
We will truly miss our beloved Mayor, husband, father, grandfather, family member and friend.
He touched so many lives with his love, his sweet smile and presence. He lit up all of our lives.
A special thanks to all the City of Conroe employees who loved and supported him. A special thanks to all of those on the third floor of City Hall and the love for him that they showed every day. He loved praying with you every morning. A special thanks to the loyal and supportive councilmen who worked beside him; Duke Coon, Duane Ham, and Guy Martin.
A very special thanks to Duke Coon, Soco Gorjon, and Nancy Mikeska. We could not have made it without your love and support to help us through these difficult times. The Mayor’s family loves you dearly.
Toby was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Lewis Powell and Joseph T. Powell. He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years Vanessa, daughter Vanette Wood and husband Howard, sons Rodney Powell and wife Gayla, Eric Powell and wife Ashley, grandchildren Avery Wood, Audra Wood, Abigail Wood, Chris Dilworth, Ryan Londeen, Reagan Powell, Bowen Powell, Madison Wedgeworth, Abigail Wedgeworth, and Landon Wedgeworth, sister-in-laws Sue Price and husband Jerry, and P.J. Price and husband Don.
A formal funeral procession will take place on Friday, September 18, 2020 staring at 10:00 a.m. and can be viewed from Downtown Conroe, around Conroe City Hall. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. in Garden Park Cemetery on Friday, September 18th. Pallbearers will be Eric Powell, Rodney Powell, Howard Wood, Chris Dilworth, Ryan Londeen, and Bowen Powell.
The public is invited to participate in the formal procession for Mayor Powell as witnesses only. Please visit the link below to view the route the procession will take. https://www.cityofconroe.org/Home/Components/News/News/1509/17?backlist=%2f
In lieu of normal remembrances please make memorial donations to the American Cancer Society.
