My condolences to Sally and the rest of Bill's family.  I have been Sally's piano tuner since they moved to Pensacola, and it was always a joy to see them both.  Bill was oftentimes swimming when I was there, and he always had a big smile for me -- even after he bumped into my car in the driveway! The world is a little less bright without him in it.
Best wishes,
Danny Lyons
Pensacola

Pat and I were saddened to learn of Bill Powers’s death, and we wanted to extend sincerest sympathy to his wife and family.  Bill and I were graduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Bill was hired at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a few years before I was.  When I was hired in 1967 and my then fiancée Pat and I needed to find a place to live and purchase furniture, Bill and Sally welcomed us and Pat’s parents into their home on Wesley Drive and gave us a place to stay while we were there that weekend.  We remain grateful to them for their generosity and hospitality that did much to make us feel welcome in a new place, and we so enjoyed meeting Bill’s mother Orpha, who had an apartment in their house.  When I began teaching at Chapel Hill, Bill was the director of freshman and sophomore English and did much to help me negotiate my way in the department in those days. He was an outstanding administrator. I am not surprised that he was so successful  at Michigan Technological University. Pat and I have always remembered Bill and Sally’s kindness, and again we are saddened to learn of his passing.

Sally and Family..I am so sorry to learn of Dr. Powers’ death. I have very fond memories of him and the time I worked for him as his secretary at Michigan Tech. It was my favorite job and he truly was the best boss. Our thoughts and our prayers go out to you. God bless....Judy Drewyor

To Mrs. Powers and family,

Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of your husband and father.  I have faded memories of a smiling man with a kind soul quietly passing through the house as we children plunked through our piano lessons or recitals in your house.  May he rest in peace.

Sincerely,
Sibel Cedetas

Very sorry to hear of Bill's death. I have many memories of his sojourn at "da Tech", especially walking with him on campus to the Ad building.  The world is a little darker place without him.

Susan and I offer our condolences to the Powers family for his passing.  As Dean, Bill was very important to the creation of a modern Physics Department at MTU and for the creation of a modern computing center which allowed so many calculations to be made over the years 1980-and beyond by Barry Kunz and me. We are especially grateful for your warmth and for the social contacts you made with the Susan and me when we were new to the Tech community.  We will always remember reconnecting with you last October in Houghton and the pleasure of exchanging memories.

 All the best to you, Sally, and to your wonderful family,

 Don and Susan Beck

I was a first-year transfer student in fall of 1972 and the system had assigned me to Dr. Powers' American literature class.  I didn't want to take the class, since the class didn’t appeal to me, but I thought if I could pass the class, then maybe I could be exempted from the obligatory freshman year series of classes. 

I was greatly surprised at how much I enjoyed the class.  Dr. Powers was interesting and engaging! On top of that, he was a delightful person.  I did pass the class, and since Dr. Powers was the department head at the time, he agreed that the freshman English requirements could be waived!

There are a handful of professors who made an impression on me while at Tech.  Dr. Powers was one of them.  So, it thrilled me to be invited to attend the College of Arts and Sciences Induction last October when Dr. Powers was honored. I am ever grateful that I was able to speak to him one more time and share with him how much I enjoyed his class.

This is a great loss. My condolences to Sally and the rest of the family.  

Michiko Stirnaman Nielsen
MTU 1975


Dear Sally – 

my heartfelt sympathies and condolences to your loss.

I met Bill first during my job interview for a physics faculty position in 1986 when he was dean of the College of Sciences and Arts. He then was the reason why I got an opportunity to go down the administrative path from dean to provost similar to his career at Tech. I will always be greatful to him for that and for his leadership example, always ready to try creative solutions. By laying the groundwork to start PhD programs in the departments of the college he ensured that the College of Sciences and Arts became a strong partner in change for Michigan Tech. We all owe him for that. I will always fondly remember him, his quiet manner and his dry sense of humor.

Again, my condolences to you and your family,

With best regards,

Max Seel


I was very saddened yesterday (May 1) to learn of Bill's passing. As Dean of Sciences & Arts at Michigan Tech, he hired me as an Assistant Professor in the Humanities Department in 1977, and I worked with him in various capacities for many years until I retired in 2009. When I arrived on campus, Bill had already begun to rebuild our department, and the work that he and then-Department Chair Art Young did in the next few years literally transformed Humanities into a nationally-recognized innovator in assisting faculty across disciplines to help students improve their writing abilities. His vision ultimately led to both  Masters and  Ph.D. programs in Rhetoric and Technical Communication and a national reputation for groundbreaking scholarly work in literacy studies. Bill had a major hand in shaping the careers of many of us who were drawn to Michigan Tech to work with him, and I am certainly grateful for his guidance and mentoring. I offer my deepest sympathies to Sally and his family. May they find comfort in their many good memories as they grieve.



Dear Sally, Mary, Will, and Matthew,
I am so sorry for your loss. Bill was THE most important influence on my professional life, and I grieve his death. During my seventeen years at Michigan Tech (1971-1987), Bill was more than my boss. He was my friend, collaborator,  and mentor. All of you and the rest of your family are in my thoughts and prayers.  Art Young

I am so glad I got to meet Bill down in Sarasota and then again when I was honored to induct him as only the third honorary member of our distinguished College of Sciences and Arts Academy. He is truly a legend here at Michigan Tech and we will all miss him.

Dave Hemmer
Dean, College of Sciences and Arts

Dear Sally and Family,

Bill was very special to us all up here at MTU. He was a great leader, friend, and mentor to so many. He will live on in our thoughts and memories.  Blessings to you in this time of mourning.  Take care and remember the good times.  A very special man!

Ben Larson, and others from MTU

I wrote this poem in memorandum of Grandfather,

Ode To The Fallen

An ode to the fallen, that we morn
A dirge to loves, to heaven sworn

Hath we but forgotten, but never forget
The trials together faced, and challenges met

In this we mourn, though strength we must find
For in their passing, new lives are signed

Death is but a prelude to life, a cycle we abide
So find joy in the peace, on the other side

For they shall breathe again, in eternal flame
Till again they are called, to another game

So weep not for them, though weep thou shall
It is not for them, but your own moral

For this is an ode, for those left to pass
Till they join those before, that now amass

A dirge for their loves, they hath left behind
Till yet again they rejoice, in the after entwined

So mourn not for the fallen, tis but the mortal coil
These temporary clothes, of clay and soil

Eternal is the spark, the immortal light
For heaven is forever calling, to those with sight

Never forgotten these trials, we have to face
For though goodbyes are hard, there is grace

So say see you soon, and dry your tears
Raise a glass to the fallen, and say your cheers

Written by,
Jason Powers(Grandson)

My sincere condolences to Sally and family.  I was associated with Bill at MTU as a faculty member and fondly remember his meetings with the School of Technology group.  I also recall his active membership at Sts. Peter & Paul church where he shared his faith.            
Warren Weingarten, Houghton

My condolences to Sally and the rest of Bill’s family. He hired me at MTU, and I am forever in his debt. 

A very decent, kind, and gracious human being who always strove to encourage faculty in collaborative endeavors. He was department head in 1981 at MTU when I was hired to teach Spanish Language and Literature as a "generalist." I remember being most impressed when I met with him during my interview in late January/early February 1981. He struck me as very much a"midwestern" gentle man! 
My heart goes out to Sally and his family. May they find comfort in knowing that he was much respected and much loved!

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Bill. He was a beautiful soul! My fondest memory is the sailing trip he took me on with Sally and Matt. He always made me feel like part of the family! My thoughts and prayers for healing are sent to Sally , Mary, William and Matt. May God Bless you all! Much love! Heather

Family,
 It was my honor to work at Michigan Tech with Bill. We didn't interact daily but we did communicate regularly. We also shared a love of sailing, I have great respect for him and all he did at Michigan Tech. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. May you have many fond memories (as I do) that will sustain you at this difficult time.
Nancy Byers Sprague and Dianne Sprague

OBITUARY

William Jennings Powers

July 31, 1930 – April 24, 2020

Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel & Bayview Memorial Park

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