Rev. Charles Powell

Psalm 139:16 (CSB)

The Rev. Charles Powell of Indianapolis, Indiana, transitioned to his eternal home with the living Lord on November 27, 2025. He was the second child born to the Rev. Charlie Dee and Carrie Powell on February 22, 1949, in Montclair, New Jersey.

As a child, he moved with his parents to Nashville, Tennessee, and was educated in public schools in both New Jersey and in Nashville. After graduating from Cameron High School in Nashville, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he later served in Vietnam, Korea, and at stateside Air Force bases. During his military service, he worked as a fuel specialist and later became a Race Relations Counselor, teaching active-duty airmen the importance of civility and respect no matter their ethnicity. While serving on active duty, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Education from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. After his honorable discharge from the Air Force and his move back to Nashville, he obtained his Bachelor of Theology Degree from The American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee. He also attended the former Scarritt College for Christian Workers in Nashville.

As a young adult, Charles repented of his sins and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Charles was married to his high school sweetheart, Jarethea Ann Donnell Powell, for 54 years. While they dated in high school, Jarethea’s brothers named him “Cab Man” because he would ride a cab to visit their sister. In a gesture of support, Charles’s father later gave him his used Cadillac to alleviate the need to use the cab. Charles was warmly supported as a good boyfriend and future husband by Jarethea’s father. He was always known to be well-dressed and well groomed. They have three children and three grandchildren whom he dearly loved.

He was licensed to the gospel ministry in March 1975 and ordained as a minister of the gospel in April 1976. While he served as a writer at the National Baptist Publishing Board in Nashville, he wrote Sunday School literature booklets which were used as a teaching resource in Baptist churches across the country. He also authored the book “New Member Training”, which was used to train new members in National Baptist Convention churches. He also taught courses in the yearly National Baptist Convention Congress.

Rev. Powell served as the Special Assistant to the Pastor of The Temple Church in Nashville, Tennessee, under the late Dr. Michael Lee Graves. He relocated his family to Indianapolis, Indiana, in the summer of 1985 when he was called to serve as the Pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in the fall of 1984. He held several leadership positions in the Indiana Missionary Baptist State Convention, where he received awards for his service. He later served as Pastor of Word of Life Baptist Church. In 1997, he and his family joined Greater Northwest Baptist Church, where they were lovingly embraced and where the Lord used him to teach the men’s Sunday School class. Charles worked in various capacities throughout the years to support his family. He was well respected as a substitute teacher at John Marshall and served as a youth mentor at Connections Youth Services. In 2019, Charles and his wife, Jarethea, became charter members of Faith Bible Church of Indianapolis, under the leadership of Pastor Cory A. Rogers.

Rev. Powell loved to learn and teach God’s Word to others. Many speak of how he handled the Word of God and influenced their understanding of Scripture. He leaves a legacy of loving to learn and study God’s Word. The wall of his garage and study is filled with books and resources he used to understand the Bible. He loved to talk about the things of the Lord with friends and family.

He greatly missed the ability to use his gifts after he suffered a debilitating stroke in 2002. He generally maintained a good portion of his health until this past June when he was diagnosed with End Stage Renal (kidney) Disease, which led to his death.

Preceding him in death were his mother, Carrie Powell; father, Rev. Charlie Dee Powell; stepmother, Essie Powell; and sister, Marylyn Walden.

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving, devoted wife, Jarethea D. Powell; his precious children: Tiffany Annette Powell, Charles Donnell Powell, and Donielle Renee’ Thomas (Terrance); precious grandchildren: Jaelyn Kiaya’ Powell, Ayden Michael Thomas, and Averie Renee’ Thomas; sisters: Brenda Greer and Cassandra Rucker, both of Nashville, Tennessee; brother-in-law: David R. Donnell (Cormelia) of Birmingham, Alabama; nieces: Vonda Walden, Arnise Thompson, Kimberly Bennett (Timothy), Chandra Mimms, Tosha Walden, all of Nashville, Tennessee; Latrice Freeman (Robert) of Birmingham, Alabama, and Adrienne Phelps (Roland) of Pearland, Texas; nephews: Kevin Walden of Rock Hill, South Carolina; Brian Kirk, Christopher Rucker (Shemika), and Da’Mon Rucker (Arica), all of Nashville, Tennessee; along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends.

“For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.”

2 Corinthians 5:1 (CSB)

A visitation will be held at Crown Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery, located at 700 W. 38th St., Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Remembrance Hall on December 13, 2025, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Following the visitation, a Celebration of Life will take place at the same location in the Remembrance Hall, starting at 12:00 pm.