Gary Arthur Powers

As a young child Gary lived in several smaller cities throughout California with his parents and sister Deanna, eventually settling in Sunnyvale, CA where he met his wife Omega “Mickey” Grogan. Gary and Omega met during Sunday school class when Omega walked in, and Gary saw her and stopped and asked his friend “Who is that?”. After dating a few years, they were married on April 17th, 1982, and started their new Life adventure together.

In 1983 they moved to Visalia, CA to become Worship Leaders at Melody of Praise church and would settle there and start a family. Gary and Omega had three kids, Daughter’s Kimberly and Kendalyn and Son Kyle.

Gary was a talented worship leader and he and Omega would go onto lead worship for several churches in the Visalia area. He was a gifted and talented piano player, and their singing was enjoyed by so many people.

In addition to leading worship, Gary was a business owner. He bought his first business at the age of 18, Powers Carpet Cleaning. He also drove buses for the City of Visalia and drove Limousines as a secondary job.

In 1998, Gary and Omega moved their young family to Broken Arrow Oklahoma to attend Rhema Bible College. While attending Rhema, Gary drove school busses for the Broken Arrow school district and enjoyed driving the Award-Winning Broken Arrow Marching Band to competitions across the Mid-West. After graduating from Rhema Bible College in 2000, he moved his family back to Visalia to again lead worship at Jubilee Bible Church, a church he founded with his parents in the early 90’s.

In 2003 Gary became known as “Pabo” when his first grandchild, Donovan was born. Pabo was a name he was honored and proud to be called, from the very beginning he set out to be as involved with his grandkids as possible. From taking them for 1st day of school donuts or Birthday donuts, taking them school clothes shopping or showing up at every school event they had, he was always there. He made sure to pass along the importance of Family and spending Family Time together and the love of Music. In 2008 he became Pabo again when twins Brooklyn and Bryce were born and for the last time in 2009 when Jordyn was born.

To know Gary was to know Love, Family and to Laugh. He was bigger than life and was always the one to crack a joke to lighten the mood or just make you smile. He had a way of knowing when and how to say the right thing to encourage you and let you know you were appreciated. He was immensely talented and prided himself in trying to do everything with excellence. He never met a stranger and there is a good chance that if you ever met him, you left laughing and feeling better and more confident about yourself. Gary had an uncanny way of putting Life’s “stuff” into perspective and helping you see the positive side in every situation.

Omega was the love of Gary’s life and anyone who met him knew that immediately. They truly were best friends and loved spending time together laughing and traveling. If you were having a conversation with him, it always included Omega and a story about her. They loved to go on cruises together or just get in the convertible and drive to the Coast. Their favorite place to go was SeaCrest in Pismo Beach. He loved to sit with Omega in the Hot tub in the mornings and then take her to get her favorite cinnamon roll and go to the “Bling Shop”. We cannot leave out the “Bling Shop”. He would joke and act like it was something she loved to do, and he was just being dragged along for the ride and only there to make sure she didn’t spend too much money, but in reality, he loved to spoil her. It made him happy to see her happy and excited about a new purse or necklace she got. They were the definition of a healthy, happy married couple who were best friends and enjoyed each other’s company more than anyone else. Omega was the light and the center of his world, and he was the center of hers. Together they created a life and family who were extremely close, wherever they went the kids and grandkids usually were right there with them. Gary loved to cook and would make dinner for his entire family several times a week. Family time was the most important time for him and something he cherished. There is not just one word to describe Gary but if you had to try, you could use any of the following, Loving Husband, Amazing Dad and Pabo, Family Man, Funny, Jokester, Businessman, Worship Leader, Talented singer and Piano Player, the one who knew all the answers, Caring, Godly Man, Man of Wisdom and Bigger than Life.

Gary was preceded in death by his mom, Katie Lou Powers, grandparents “Mimmie” and “Pappy”, “Granny” and “Grandpa”, Aunt Joanne Swiney, Uncle Cecil Powers, Uncle Orville Powers, Uncle Sandy Sanders and numerous cousins.

Gary is survived by the Love of his Life and Bride of 41 years, Omega Powers. Three children, Kimberly Powers, Kendalyn Powers and Kyle Powers. Four grandchildren, Donovan Powers, Brooklyn Powers, Bryce Powers and Jordyn Powers. His Father, Art Powers and his wife Pearly Powers, Sister Deanna Burrow and her Husband Wayne Burrow, Aunt Terry Jean Slusher, Uncle Harry Powers and numerous cousins on both the Powers and Sanders side of the Family.

Services for Gary will be as follows, Visitation Friday August 18th from 4-7pm at Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W Goshen Ave, Visalia CA 93291. Celebration of Life will be held on August 19th at 11am at Tulare First Assembly, 316 S Mooney Blvd, Tulare CA 93274 with a lunch reception immediately following in the Family Life Center. Graveside service will be held Monday August 21st at 10 am at Smith Mountain Cemetery, 42088 Road 100, Dinuba, CA 93618