Richard J. Powell

Richard Joseph Powell was born on April 29, 1942 to Julia and August Powell. He died on Friday, April 27, 2012, two days short of his 70th birthday. Dick grew up in the Slovenian neighborhood of Haughville and attended Holy Trinity Catholic Grade School. He moved on to Scecina Memorial for his high school years. At the age of 16, he started work at the Indianapolis Star and News. He continued to work for The Star part time in many capacities for the next 35 years. Dick graduated from Marian College in 1965, where he later was presented the Marian College Franciscan Values Award. During his college years, he studied in Bogota, Columbia, which fostered his love of the Spanish language. In 1971, Dick married the love of his life Norma Marie Knapp. They were happily married for 41 years. Dick earned his Masters of Education from Butler University. In 1965, he began his illustrious teaching career at Bishop Chatard High School. At Chatard, Dick served as senior class sponsor where he organized the Living Rosary and the school-wide blood drive. He also helped institute the St. Augustine Nursing Home Prom, assisted the students with numerous canned food drives, cooked for the BCHS football team, and other activities too numerous to name. Mr. Powell primarily taught the Senior Religion and Morality class and the Senior World Cultures Comparative Religions and Philosophy class. He also taught varying levels of Spanish. Mr. Powell was a beloved teacher and a legend at Bishop Chatard High School where he taught for 43 years. He was Chatard’s biggest fan in every way. The Bishop Chatard High School Community was like family to him. During this tenure, he earned the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Celebrating Catholic Values Career Achievement Award and the Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin Excellence in Education Award. Teaching was his life. Dick was an active parishioner at Christ the King Catholic Church. Through his years of volunteer service to that community, he sang in the Adult and Resurrection Choir, served on the Board of Education, was a Eucharistic Minister and helped to organize and plan the CKS festival. Dick taught RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) classes at Christ the King and many of the Catholic churches in the Indianapolis area. He had an amazing wealth of knowledge about Catholic Church History. Dick also taught Spanish and Religions of the World at OASIS adult education centers. In addition to being a devout Catholic, loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, he will always be remembered for his enthusiastic and challenging presence in the classroom and his kindness in daily life. Dick is preceded in death by his parents Julia and Gus Powell, his sister Helen and his brother Gus. He is survived by his wife, Norma (Knapp) Powell. Children: Eileen (Brad) Countryman, Jerry, and Gregory; grandchildren: Olivia, Patrick, and Katie Countryman; siblings Edward (Barb), Dorothy (Jim-deceased) Manka, and John (Sandy). Friends may come to call at Christ the King Catholic Church from 4-8pm on Wednesday, May 2nd. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, May 3rd at 10:00am at Christ the King Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bishop Chatard High School or Christ the King Catholic Church. Memorial tributes may be offered at www.feeneyhornakkeystone.com.