Carol Ann Powell

Carol was born September 24, 1936, in Springfield, Missouri to Lloyd and Ethel Blane Covert. When her mother divorced and remarried, Carol took the name of her beloved stepfather Raymond Depew, an officer in the United States Navy. The youngest of two children, Carol and her older sister Norma were both raised in Missouri and Kansas. Carol attended and graduated Wichita high School and later attended junior college. In 1957, while working in the Dean’s Office at the University of Wichita, she met the love of her life, Billy D. Powell. They were married in September of that year and honeymooned in Duluth, MN.

As an officer and flight navigator in the United States Air Force, her husband’s assignments took them all over the United States, as well as overseas. In 1960 while on station in Marquette, Michigan, Carol gave birth to their first son Bain. Her youngest son, Bradley, was delivered two years later at Armstrong A.F.B in California. The family later relocated to Victorville, CA. while her husband began an extended tour of combat duty in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Carol was the quintessential homemaker, hostess, and excelled as the wife of an Air Force officer. She kept the home fires burning for over two years to support her husband’s combat tour in Vietnam. She cared and watched over their boys, planned/ran cub scout meetings, attended little league games, mowed the yard, ran their household, and never missed a single PTA meeting. All the while, she remained active with the Air Force wives and organized several local neighborhood events. She welcomed her husband home safe and sound at the end of his tour, and happily shed the life of a single parent!

Through 1976, Carol & Bill had military assignments that took their little family across the United States (from coast to coast and north to south), as well as through most of Europe. After 22 years of military service, the Powell family settled in Austin, Texas following Bill’s final assignment at Bergstrom A.F.B.

With her boys now entering junior and senior high school, and her husband heading a department at the University of Texas- Carol returned to the workforce, providing administrative support to the Travis County Commissioner of Precinct 2. Later, she would transfer to the Public Improvements and Transportation Department of Travis County. She retired after many years there as the manager of the department’s Human Resources function. Loved and respected by her coworkers, supervisors, and executives, Carol was known for her strong work ethic, positive attitude, and empathetic ear.

In retirement, both Carol and her husband were active supporters of the University Area and NW Austin Kiwanis Clubs and the Circle-K, the Children's Miracle Network, the Boy Scouts and dozens of other charities. Chiefly, however, Carol was "Nana" to her three grandchildren and two great grandchildren and a pillar of love and support to her husband Bill, who struggled with congestive heart failure until 2017.

Carol’s support and caring heart were ever-present for her family, extended family, as well as for many, many others. Even as she struggled in her later years with dementia, she was never without a warm, sweet smile for her family, friends, and caregivers.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of sixty years Bill, her eldest son Bain, her parents Ray and Ethel Depew, and her older sister Norma.

She is survived by her son Bradley Powell and his wife Belinda of Cedar Park; grandchildren Maxwell Powell of Cedar Park, William Powell of Fort Worth, and Kailynn Cannata and her husband Andrew and her great grandchildren Oliver and Nathalie of Dripping Springs; her brother-in-law Jerry Powell and his wife Ginger and family of Topeka, KS; her sister-in-law Wykeemah Chumley and her family of Wichita, KS and Houston, TX.

Services will be at 10am Saturday September 23, 2023 at Hope Presbyterian Church, 11512 Olson Dr. Austin, TX 78750. Family Interment to follow at Capital Parks Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Carol’s honor to the Children's Miracle Network, specifying Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com for the Powell family.