Louanne Powell Merrell faced her cancer diagnosis with optimism every day. After nearly 3 years of unwavering strength, God insisted she come on Home anyway and she passed peacefully on April 2nd, 2019.
She was born in Springfield, Tennessee on August 19th, 1949. She was tenacious and tough like her father and sweet and angelic like her mother. And a tad stubborn like both of them.
In college, Louanne played basketball for The University of Tennessee Lady Vols, something she was proud of all her life. After college, she was a typesetter for several advertising firms in Atlanta, and loved the prestige of working in the slick high-rises until her husband moved her kicking and screaming to Columbus, Georgia. There, the two founded B. Merrell’s restaurant and she eventually came to love the Columbus lifestyle. It could’ve been her affinity for eating a Rotisserie Chicken Salad while hearing people say B. Merrell’s was a “Columbus institution.”
Louanne loved every animal on God’s green earth and certainly holds the record for most pet videos ever watched on YouTube and Facebook. She could get any baby to fall asleep, a skill that will surely be missed by friends and family for years to come. She loved living ON the lake, but never getting IN the lake—and she loved going to the beach, but never getting in the ocean. Something about the movie Jaws just never sat right with her.
She leaves behind her husband of 42 wonderful years, Barry Merrell, daughter Lauren Merrell Cesar and daughter-in-law Ana Cesar, her affectionate boxer, Max, and aloof terrier Rudy—along with brothers Allen Powell (Michelle) and Bill Powell (Susan), as well as numerous nieces and nephews and close family friends that might as well be family.
In heaven, she joins her beloved parents, Lynette Moudy Powell and William Edward Powell, as well as plenty of pets that went before her. (Though we aren’t convinced Ralph actually made it to heaven.) We suspect she is surrounded by animals, reading a sappy book and watching a Hallmark movie marathon.
Please pray for Louanne’s family, friends and the producers of throw blankets and Cavit Pinot Grigio, all of whom will miss her dearly.
Her Celebration of Life is open to all and is at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 4071 Macon Rd., Columbus on Friday, April 5th, 2019. Visitation is 1-3pm at the funeral home with the service immediately following at 3 p.m. with Reverend Cynthia Cox Garrard officiating.
In lieu of flowers, please help others with a gift to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation or PAWS Humane Society of Columbus. Fond memories and condolences may be left for the Merrell family at www.SHColumbus.com.
