David Wesley Powell

David Wesley Powell, aged 82, died on August 1, 2023, after a short but fierce battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his loving wife, Jane Schapman Powell, their two children, Bridget Elizabeth Powell and Anne Powell Stone, their spouses, and three grandchildren, Quinn Wesley Powell, David Edward Stone, and Silas Valti Stone. He is also survived by his younger sister, Nanette Powell Strauss, his late brother Samuel Benjamin Powell, an expansive extended family, and a wide circle of friends and colleagues.

Dave was born in 1941 in Del Rio, Texas to the late Valti Wesley Powell and Edrie Lee Bonebrake Powell. His early life included moving house five times before age six, due to his father’s career in the National Weather Service. In 1954 the family settled in Beltsville, MD where Dave attended the then-new High Point High School, where he played saxophone and was a drum major in the marching band. He also played in the High C’s dance band. At the University of Maryland, Dave got an undergraduate degree in Radio & TV Production and stayed for graduate level classes in the same field. While at College Park, he was very active in the music and theater programs, including spending time as an assistant drum major, radio station DJ, and announcer of the football pre-game shows.

After graduation, from 1964-1972, Dave worked at Washington Educational Television Authority (WETA) and the Voice of America (VOA). During that time, Dave wore many “hats” and built his skills by producing, directing, and doing camera and sound work. He won a local Emmy for his short film Questions, an anti-smoking piece for teens. During this time he met many interesting people, including celebrities. From 1972-1983, Dave started and ran a multimedia production company, Visual Images, with Berle Cherney. He traveled widely during this time, including trips that took him to Afghanistan and Ethiopia. They counted the National Gallery of Art among their clients.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1979 Dave’s life changed: he met the love of his life, Jane Schapman. They married in February of 1982 and went on to have two children. Dave was a wonderful father, attending countless recitals, camping trips, and other events as his children grew. Self-employed, he rearranged his schedule to be sure he was available in the after-school hours. Jane and Dave were married for 41 years and understood the importance of prioritizing time together. They loved to get away to the Delaware beaches to ride bikes and go for oysters. They also traveled, including trips to Turkey, France, and Canada.

From 1984-1990 Dave and his best friend, David Kritzer, formed Powell, Kritzer, & Associates, an advertising agency where they worked on many projects together, including Black Georgetown Remembered. After 1990, he added digital photography and website development to his repertoire and also went on to do executive coaching. He was always working on some kind of project, only ever moving into semi-retirement at the end of his life.

Dave was a professional photographer, but photography was also one of his many hobbies– he enjoyed the challenge of interpreting the world around him this way and liked to share his art with others, including displays in local restaurants and offices. He was an active member of the International Plastic Modelers Society, a musician in his church communities, and an informed citizen who was always ready to talk politics and current events. Dave was also an expert communicator who excelled at connecting people and ideas.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on Tuesday, August 29th at St John the Baptist Catholic Community, 12319 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20904. There will be a luncheon following at Bear Brick Oven, 15410 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20905.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your local food bank. Dave and his family also wish to express deep gratitude to the Cardiology and Oncology teams at the Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center. Like so many people in Dave’s life, they became friends.