William Dewey Powell

Dallas attorney William D. Powell passed from his life on this earth on April 2, 2016. He was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas on January 18, 1932 to Dr. William Dewey Powell, Sr. and Vivian Lemert Powell. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Fort Smith during which, in the ninth grade, he met Dewena Maddux, who would become his high school sweetheart, then later, his wife and best friend for 58 years.

Bill began college at Texas Christian University, but his Air Force Reserve unit was activated after two years, and he served for 18 months at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth. After his discharge he returned to his home state, where he graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1954 with High Honors and was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa.

Bill earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1957. He graduated first in class, Summa Cum Laude, and was Editor-in-Chief of the SMU Law Review (then known as the Southwestern Law Journal). He was elected President of his law fraternity and was a member of Cycen Fdjor and the Barristers Honorary Societies. Following graduation, he became the first SMU School of Law graduate to be selected as a law clerk for the United State Supreme Court, serving Justice Tom C. Clark during the 1957-1958 term of the Court.

Bill began private practice in Dallas with the firm Carrington, Gowan, Johnson, Bromberg and Leeds. After the firm was reorganized into two separate firms, he continued for 35 years with the firm Johnson, Bromberg & Leeds. During his early years as an attorney, as the practice of law came to be viewed as distinct areas of specialization rather than part of a general business practice, he became one of a relatively small group of Dallas attorneys who specialized in real estate law. His first real estate project was working with two other attorneys in his firm representing Raymond Nasher in the development of NorthPark Center. He later directed the legal work for NorthPark’s expansion and The Nasher Sculpture Center project. Through his long career he represented many other leading Dallas real estate developers, investors and service companies in their local and national activities, and some of those relationships continued for several decades.

In 1995 Bill was a founding partner of the firm now known as Powell Coleman & Arnold LLP, a “boutique” firm specializing in real estate related matters. He was selected by his peers for listing in The Best Lawyers in America for thirty-three years since the inception of the publication in 1983, and was also recognized among the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” by D Magazine and as one of the “Texas Super Lawyers” by Texas Monthly Magazine. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of NorthPark National Bank before its merger with Comerica Bank, and as President of the SMU Law Alumni Association. In 2013 the SMU Dedman School of Law honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Private Practice.

Bill had many diverse interests. He loved and read extensively in American political history, particularly as related to the American Presidency. He was an avid fan of professional sports and a season ticket holder for many years of the Cowboys, Rangers and Mavericks. Attendance at games was always a family affair. He enjoyed the fact that he and his son Steve saw Don Meredith take his first snap as Cowboys’ quarterback in the Cotton Bowl in 1960, and also saw the Cowboys win their first game in 1961.

Bill and Dewena loved to travel, particularly their trips to Europe and cruises to the Baltic and the Mediterranean. They also treasured spending time with their family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Bill was predeceased by his wife Dewena and his daughters Lynn Ellen Powell and Dianne Powell Dahlstrom. He is survived by his son Stephen D. Powell and wife Sally of Dallas, his son Wm. Scott Powell and wife Melinda of Dallas, his granddaughters Sara Powell Lund (and husband Paul) of Dallas, Lauren Powell of New York City, and Keller Powell of New York City, his son-in-law Fred Dahlstrom of Dallas, his sister Marilyn Powell Hulquist and husband Dick of Los Angeles, and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service for William D. Powell will be held at Sparkman-Hillcrest at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may, if desired, be sent to the Dewena and William Powell Endowed Scholarship in Law Fund, SMU Dedman School of Law, P.O. Box 750116, Dallas, TX 75275-0116, or the American Heart Association, at donatenow.heart.org, or another charity of choice.