Nancy Amelia Powell

Nancy was born on April 29, 1938, in Columbus, Ohio to Rudolph Henry Nimitz and Kathryn Brashear Nimitz. Raised in an area of Columbus known as German Village, Nancy enjoyed life in a cultural urban neighborhood with her three siblings. In high school she studied bookkeeping and accounting and attended Columbus Business University. She used those skills later in jobs at Columbus Restaurant Supplies Company and Centner’s Interior Design.

Nancy was married to William F. Powell from June 24, 1956, to January 11, 1989. Together they raised three daughters, Teresa, Elaine, and Ann, and one son, Brian. Music performance and appreciation was always an important part of their family life. Both Bill and Nancy were avid gardeners and spent summers canning and freezing vegetables and making jams, jellies, pickles, and sauerkraut. She worked hard with her husband to support and care for their family.

Nancy worked extensively as a vocal and handbell choir director and minister of music in many churches in Ohio, Indiana, and Maryland. In Columbus, Ohio she directed choirs at Lincoln Baptist Church, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, North Congregational United Church of Christ and was music minister at Karl Road Baptist Church. She directed choirs at Central College Presbyterian Church and Church of Messiah United Methodist Church in Westerville, Ohio and at Second Presbyterian Church in Newark. She was also minister of music at First Baptist Church in Sunbury, Ohio, Jerome United Methodist Church in Plain City, Ohio and at the First United Methodist Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. In Gaithersburg, Maryland she served as minister of music at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church for 11 years where she established a multi-generational program of many handbell and vocal choirs, a summer choir day camp for children and a concert series. Additionally, she taught music classes at the St. Joseph Montessori School in Columbus, Ohio. While pursuing her career as a church musical director, she also worked part time at Cokesbury Publishing House and taught private piano students through Prestige Music Studios, Inc. in Columbus. While living in Hillard, Ohio, after she had retired from her career as a church musical director and minister of music, she taught twenty-eight private piano students through the Piano Lessons in Your Home company.

Nancy became very involved with the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers during her musical career. Her choirs regularly participated and performed in local, area, and national handbell festivals. She was president-elect, president and past president of the AGEHR’s Area 5, encompassing Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. She created and directed Ringers Anonymous, an ecumenical bell choir that performed concerts for community and corporate events in the Columbus area. Nancy published a manual for handbell ringing entitled Solo and Small Ensemble Handbell Ringing and an original children’s musical called “The Three Trees.” She was also a performing member of the Columbus Symphony Chorus for many years. In her early 40s Nancy attended Capitol University and earned her bachelor’s degree in music education with concentration in Choral and Instrumental Conducting while working full time.

Nancy had an extravagant personality and believed that “More is more.” During her career as a musician, conductor, and minister of music she created worship services, choral, handbell, and orchestral performances, dramas, musicals, and multiple-choir programs. Her talent for engaging and actively involving people in musical programs often brought in new families and individuals that increased membership in the various churches in which she worked. Over the years she established a large network of musicians and choir directors in Ohio and several other states. All that knew her will have a story to tell about one of Nancy’s charismatic “productions” complete with costumes, stage decoration, choreography, lighting, banners, and that little something extra. She had an uncomplicated sense of humor, often expressed with the characteristic Nimitz seal-like, barking laugh. Nancy was amiable, outgoing, and enjoyed just about any kind of social gathering or celebration.

Sadly, Nancy was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia the last six years of her life. These diseases profoundly affected her ability to communicate, move, and take care of her basic needs. None the less, her personality and sense of humor occasionally broke through the layers of memory and confusion to connect with her loved ones and caregivers in the present.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Rudolph Heinrich (Henry) and Kathryn Nimitz, sister Johanna Moerch (and husband Don), brother Robert Nimitz (and wife Carrie), uncle Ed Brashear (and wife Rhea), cousin Roseanne Nimitz, nephew Patrick McGlaughlin, and great-nephew Derrick Angle. She is survived by her four children Teresa Powell, Elaine Powell, Brian Powell (wife Kay), and Ann Brown (husband Jeff Brown), three grandchildren Chelsea Ibrahim, Tyler Brown, and Alex Brown, brother John Nimitz (wife Gabi), and many nieces and nephews and their children.

Two memorial services have been planned for Nancy and the dates, times, and locations are listed below. A brief reception will follow each service at the respective churches.

Saturday, November 9, 2024

St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church

8617 Little River Turnpike

Annandale, VA 22003

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

2001 Northwest Blvd.

Columbus, Ohio 43212

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating a Tribute Gift to the Parkinson’s Foundation in the memory of Nancy Powell at https://www.parkinson.org/ (select Donate and then Tribute Gift), or mail your donation to: Parkinson's Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310, Miami, FL 33126.