Fred L. Powell Jr.

Born and raised in Augusta, GA, Fred graduated from Richmond Academy in 1952, attended Junior College of Augusta, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1954, serving at Camp Lejeune, Parris Island and Camp Pendleton. Decades before Top Gun, he chased his own fighter pilot dreams in Navy flight training at NAS Memphis in Millington, TN, and NAS Pensacola, FL. He landed on an aircraft carrier multiple times, but the unforgiving, “one-mistake-and-done” program led to his honorable discharge in 1957. (He kept the haircut for the rest of his life, minus the hair.)

His next stop was the University of Georgia, where he engaged in the usual fraternity shenanigans as a Pi Kappa Alpha and got engaged to Margie, a Tri-Delt. In an ironic twist, the pair first met when a mutual friend recommended Margie – a native Spanish speaker raised in Buenos Aires – as a tutor for Fred, who was struggling with his Spanish course. After graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, he married her in Lake Junaluska, NC, taught for a year in Augusta, and earned his master’s from Peabody College (now part of Vanderbilt) in Nashville in 1962. He added a Specialist in Education degree in Spanish Education from UGA in 1974.

Soon after the birth of the first of three daughters, Lynn, in 1962, the family moved from Nashville to Avondale Estates, GA, where Fred began teaching Spanish at the recently opened Briarcliff High School. He remained there until the school closed in 1987, missing exactly one day in a quarter century, for his grandmother’s funeral. His “tough but fair” puntos (points) system and irreverent sense of humor won the hearts and minds of his students, along with Teacher of the Year honors and a yearbook dedication. He also risked life and limb teaching Driver’s Ed (a job suited to his unlimited patience and signature aplomb) and often ran the clock at Briarcliff Baron basketball games.

Second daughter Laurie arrived in 1964, and in 1966 the family moved into a split-level on a ¾-acre lot in Decatur. Third, and somewhat unexpected, daughter Leigh debuted in 1970, and Fred and Margie “played house” – mostly harmoniously – for 60 years. Fred did all of the yard work, often in Bermuda shorts, long socks and sandals, presumably to mortify his daughters and tank their social standing among visiting peers or even those merely passing by. He also spent countless hours in the backyard playing badminton and volleyball, hosting cookouts, and patiently training birds, squirrels and chipmunks to take peanuts from his hand, then his shoulder, his shirt pocket and finally from between his pursed lips.

Fred loved his family, his church, his students and his Dawgs, but no title suited him better than “Grandpa” to Austin and Ansley. He regularly conquered the NYT crossword (in pen), devoured Harlan Coben and John le Carré thrillers, and relished action fare like John Wick and Reacher. Other pastimes included ’50s music, card games with family and friends, hunting, billiards, ping pong and spicy food (former students may recall at least one high-stakes “chips-and-salsa challenge” for precious puntos during a Mexican restaurant outing).

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Fred L. Powell, Sr. and Ida Lee Powell, both of Augusta; and his sister, Dorothy “Dot” John of St. Paul, MN. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Margie; his daughters Lynn Powell (Louisville, KY), Laurie (Michael) Davis (Tucker, GA) and Leigh Powell (Lawrenceville, GA); his grandchildren Austin Davis (Birmingham, AL) and Ansley Davis (Athens, GA); his siblings Jesse Powell and Anne Gomillion, both of Augusta; and several adored (and adoring) nieces and nephews.

A service celebrating Fred’s life and legacy will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, November 7, at North Decatur United Methodist Church, preceded by visitation at 1:00pm in the Welcome Center and immediately followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall. The service will also be livestreamed on the NDUMC YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@NorthDecaturUMC/streams. Attendees are encouraged to wear UGA red and black or Briarcliff navy blue and white (or silver) in his honor.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to North Decatur United Methodist Church. https://ndumc.org/giving

Go Dawgs!