Janice Richmond Powell

Janice Richmond Powell went to be with her Savior on October 23rd, 2023, at 91 years of age. She was surrounded in love by her children and granddaughter Amy and had just been given a loving goodbye from her husband of 64 years.

Janice was born on November 22, 1931, in Greensboro, NC to Thomas Murray and Lois Emily Richmond. She was the oldest of 4, with a sister, and two brothers. After growing up in Greensboro, she went to King College, in Bristol Tennessee, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. It was here that she had one of her most loved accomplishments. Her athletic abilities not only earned a spot on the women’s basketball team, but her ability and drive earned her a spot as the only female on an all-male tennis team. She loved to share this story and how she had to beat them all to earn her spot. She carried her love of tennis all the way to the end of her life, truly believing she was still teaching it in the last months of her life. She thoroughly enjoyed a short career of being a disc jockey during her college days and had her own show called, “Jive with Jan”. It gave her a chance to showcase her love for the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley. Even though she went to King, she was a loyal and passionate Carolina fan. Her competitiveness came out quite a bit during any Tar Heel team playing, but especially when they met up with Virginia Tech!

After meeting David Powell, at his job pumping gas, they married on August 29, 1959. They went to live in Philadelphia for a stint but then they moved and settled in Atlanta, GA, where the birth of Kimberly, gave her the name mom. Four years later, she became the proud mom of a son, Andrew, and embraced her role of being a stay-at-home mom even further, caring deeply for her children. Evidently, they didn’t get enough of being snowed in, so they moved back to Rochester, NY, where it didn’t take too long to realize having to find their front door and digging their car out during the snowstorms of the north wasn’t as much fun as they wanted it to be. They moved back to Atlanta and settled in Dunwoody, where she gave birth to her daughter Kerry and then spent the next 51 years in that community. Mom was born a teacher. From her youth, she wanted to teach everyone what she could, including her younger sister, who wasn’t so eager to learn to read from her older sister. She loved teaching children and was able to use her God given gift at Perimeter Church and later Westminster Presbyterian as the Director of Children’s Education. She had the privilege of helping start Perimeter School, where she was a classroom and P.E. teacher. She took every opportunity to use her gifts of teaching. She taught tennis, piano, P.E. and soccer and took such joy in teaching these to her children and her grandchildren. Mom was fierce about teaching the Word of God, not just to children, but to “my ladies” as she always called those in her classes and Bible Studies.

Mom had a wonderful love language as a giver. She loved to spoil those around her, and it was her nature to generously shop and buy things for her children and grandchildren. She was famous for her epic Easter egg hunts and Christmas generosity. She was so well known for her notes and letter writing, always a word of encouragement or support. I say this as I stare at a card, she sent years ago to encourage me in motherhood.

She was a pioneer in the soccer world, not only in coaching, but also, along with a compatriot of hers as one of the first women referees in the game of soccer in Georgia. She was an avid walker, an extensive collector of all things Noah’s ark, loved Porsche (an affection she shared with her grandsons), loved the color red, was rarely seen without a hat, fancy jacket and a pair of matching shoes to complete her attire.

Her ultimate love was time spent with her entire family at the beach and we have a well-established family beach trip tradition that will carry on her legacy. The beach family tennis tournaments will still have their competitive edge, but we will never be able to find as many “conch” shells along the shore as she did.

She leaves behind her husband, David, her daughter Kim Elder (Eric), son Andy Powell (Thuy) and daughter Kerry Gragg (Scott), her sister D.J. and brother Donald. She fiercely loved her grandchildren and wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. She leaves behind Scott (Becca), Amy, Katie (David), Peter, Molly, Emily, Matthew, Elizabeth & Grace Elder, Dawson, Donovan, & Dade Gragg. She also leaves behind great-grandchildren, Abby Rose, Ruby, Adelay & Maggie Mae Elder; Cecelia & one on the way McMichael.

She was a spunky, feisty lady, with a serious sense of humor, which you could still catch glimpses of even as her mind was failing her. She is and will be missed beyond words, but we are so thankful she is with her Father in heaven, and she will finally have a fully functioning mind and a leg that is the same length as the other, with no signs of polio. The celebration is full with her in Jesus’ kingdom, and her reunion with her mom, dad, brother and granddaughter Abby had to be glorious. Thanks mom, for your strength, your desire for us to know Christ and all you sacrificed to be the mom you were.

A celebration of life for Janice will be held Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1438 Sheridan Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324.