Frances Asbury Powell – June 13, 2012

Frances Asbury Powell, 93, a longtime advocate against poverty, child abuse and homelessness in the city, died Wednesday, June 13 at her home near Fredericksburg.
Funeral services are scheduled for 1:00 PM Tuesday at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2800 Paramount Blvd with Barry Loving, Pastor, First Christian Church officiating.  Burial will follow at Llano Cemetery.
The wife of well-known sports columnist W.L. “Putt” Powell, Mrs. Powell was a significant force in the Amarillo community in her own right. She was a pioneer female aviator in the 40’s and 50’s and helped found the local Wing Scouts squadron for aspiring young women pilots.
Mrs. Powell was instrumental in founding and developing numerous community assistance programs and agencies. A few of these include the United Way Information and Referral Services, Amarillo Globe News’ Empty Stocking Fund, and the High Plains Epilepsy Association. In addition to serving as a director for each of these organizations, Mrs. Powell also served as Director of Social Services for the Amarillo Hospital District for many years. She also served as an adjunct professor at West Texas A&M University. She received many awards for her accomplishments including the Amarillo Globe News Woman of the Year in 1980, Amarillo’s Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, the Paul Harris Award, Distinguished Service Award of the Amarillo Area Women’s Forum, Women Helping Women award from Amarillo’s Soroptimist International, and is listed in “Texas Notable Women”, to name  a few of her accolades.  She was a member of First Christian Church.
She is survived by a daughter, Frances Ann Hirsch; a son, James “Jimi” Wright; two granddaughters, Nicole Wright and Alexandra Wright; a great-grandson, Joshua Davis; a daughter-in-law, Shelley Wright; and grandson-in-law, Jonathan Davis.
The family requests any memorials to be directed to any of the following: The Putt Powell Scholarship Fund of the Amarillo Foundation, Amarillo Globe News’ Empty Stocking Fund, or the Hill Country Memorial Hospital Hospice, 808 Reuben St., Fredericksburg, Texas 78624.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *