Notice regarding Coronavirus...Read More

Plan Ahead

Powell, Pattie T.

July 12, 1928 –
 March 10, 2015

Obituary

Pattie Jean (Thomas) Powell, 86, of Dallas died 10 March 2015. She was a devoted, adoring wife, mother, and grandmother whose charm, generosity, warmth, and compassion will be missed by everyone who knew her.

Pattie was born 12 July 1928 in Woodsboro, Refugio County, Texas, the only daughter of Edgar and Lacolian (Eastham) Thomas. Pattie was the valedictorian of Woodsboro High School in 1944.  At fifteen, she was accepted into the Plan II Honors program at the University of Texas, began the program at sixteen, and graduated at nineteen.  She was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston where she met her husband, Bill.  On 11 October 1952, in Utopia, Bandera County, Texas, Pattie married Bill (William Joe) Powell.

After Bill earned his MD and completed his Air Force tour of duty in the Middle East, they moved to the Dallas area. Pattie focused on raising their six only children. Over the years, Pattie served as a board member of Goals for Dallas and the American Cancer Society and was a founding member of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, the Richardson Symphony Orchestra Guild, the Community Concerts, the Richardson Ballet, and Teenpower, Inc.  She also served the Presbyterian Church as a deacon, an elder, and the first woman in the presbytery.

Pattie served for 32 years on the Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees. As the longest serving chairman in the board’s history, she worked with six chancellors building the nation’s largest and highest-rated community college system and was honored as the first trustee emeritus for the Dallas County Community College District. Pattie served as representative to the White House Conference on Productivity; was a board member for the Texas Association of Community College Trustees and Administrators; assumed leadership roles with the North Texas Association of Higher Education, the American Association of Community Colleges, and the Association of Community College Trustees; and was awarded AACT’s Dale Ensign Community College Leadership Award.

In 1980, she and her daughter Taffy started Powell Development & Resources, Inc. handling commercial real estate, joint ventures, and general partnerships in oil and gas.

When Bill retired, they traveled throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, Iran, Russia, Africa, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Hong Kong. They were blessed with sixty years together.

Bill died on September 13, 2009, in Dallas. All six of their children survive her: Cynthia Jean and Glen Powell of Austin, Kathleen Patrice (Taffy) Fish of Austin, Joan Kathryn and Don McNamara of Dallas, William Joe of Dallas, Kimberly Ann of Dallas, Michael Watkins of Dallas, and Stephen Thomas and Amy Powell of Austin. Pattie was GMom to: Lauren, Glen, and Leslie Powell; Kathryn, Drew, Elizabeth, and William Fish; J, Tommy, Danny, and Callie McNamara; Marcus and Morgan Watkins; and Anna and Mary Campbell Powell.

Pattie will lovingly be remembered for her easy laugh, welcoming spirit, love of life, legendary kindness and goodness, and unrivaled strength and courage. She was an accomplished poet, musician, painter, and sculptor, but she considered her family her greatest work of art.

A celebration of Pattie’s life will be held at 3:00 pm, Sunday, March 22, at the First Presbyterian Church, 271 Walton Street, Richardson and after at 6300 Brookshire Drive, Dallas.

Memorial gifts can be made to the Pattie and Bill Powell Fund for the Dallas County Community College District at the Communities Foundation of Texas (www.cftexas.org/powell) or mailed to 5500 Caruth Haven Lane, Dallas, Texas 75225.

 

Arrangements are under the direction of:
ARIA Cremation Service & Funeral Home
19310 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas 75252
214-306-6700

Leave A Condolence

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

Testimonials

R. Driver
Read More
"Excellent customer service, they made you feel like you were their only customer. Very helpful and explained what we should expect during the process. They basically took care of our needs during this time. They contacted DFW National Cemetery for us which made it a smooth experience. Definitely will use them again."
K. Barker
Read More
"I was amazed how professional the team at Aria Funeral Preston Dallas Texas are. They guided me through the process and my options of their services that they offered for my mother. They are compassionate, caring, calm, good listener, efficient and did an excellent job! Thank you!"
R. Woll
Read More
"If I could give 6 stars I would. Aria made a difficult easier to deal with by basically taking care of everything in an efficient but very empathetic manner. I can speak highly enough of Dusty Martin, who helped us with all of the planning and logistics. He was incredibly understanding and helpful."
Angel M.
Read More
"Nothing prepares you for the grief you go through when losing a child. I called this funeral home at 2:00 am broken and could barely talk. The amount of compassion and empathy they showed me immediately let me know I found the right place to cremate my son. I cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, SINCERE concern, and commitment to making sure my son was honored in the most respectful way. I hope this Funeral home values her as much as my family and I do."
McGee Family
Read More
"Wayne and Staff, thank you for taking care of the arrangements for our mom, Exter McGee and our dad, Philip McGee. You have been great to work with during such a difficult time."
Elledge Family
Elledge Family
Read More
"On behalf of my family, I wanted you to know how much we appreciate your handling of my husband's final arrangements. Wayne Baxter assisted & guided us through the entire process with such care & compassion. Don't know what we would have done without him! Sincerely, Colleen Elledge"
The Peterson Family
The Peterson FamilyYelp! Review - Northwest Highway 5-Stars
Read More
"I can’t say enough about how helpful and professional Dusty Martin, the funeral director at the Aria Cremation location on NW Highway has been. From my initial call, he was kind and informative. My friend died at home while on hospice and she was picked up in about an hour after receiving the call from the hospice nurse. The person who arrived to pick her up was also very professional/respectful and allowed us to take as much time with her as we wished. When I met with Dusty the next day about arrangements, he explained the process and options available without being pushy or trying to “sell” extras. Throughout the process, he kept me informed and, for example, was careful to be certain I understood the cost of the obituary I wanted and offered some options for reducing that cost if I wished. When I stopped by for another reason and started talking about some of the problems I was having with the pictures and media I hoped to use at a memorial lunch I was planning, he not only listened patiently but offered technology advice and let me use his personal media player. I have had experience arranging cremations for four others using two other local companies, and this experience with Dusty at Aria has been by far the best one I have had."
Paula Barnes
Paula BarnesGoogle Review
Read More
"My Daddy’s service and our family experience at Aria Northwest Highway was truly blessed. Funeral Director Dustin Martin is the kind of person that you would like to see on a more regular basis – but in his industry – you hope to not see him that often. That being said – THANK YOU DUSTIN for your unending kindness, compassion and friendship through the process. Meeting you and discussing Dallas History, Find A Grave and my Dad’s lifelong contributions to the great City of Dallas was simply wonderful! In memory of my dad James A. Dodd, Sr. – I want to personally thank you and let you know that you made everything better in that moment. Your calling to “Be There” is spot on. Aria has a one in a million guy in you! Bling Blinky of TEXAS Shout Out: God Bless You!!"
Previous
Next

Get In Touch

Locations

Immediate Attention

Contact Us

Preston Road

“George Bush at Preston”

Aria - Northwest Highway

“5 Miles East of Hillcrest Memorial Park / Lake Highlands”

Funeral Homes Irving Tx: Aria Cremation

“Belt Line Road at 183”

Fannin Memorial Gardens

Veterans Funeral Services

Darst Funeral Home

Search Obituaries

Search

Important Information

  1. If death has occurred and or is imminent, please call the Aria location nearest you.

    PRESTON ROAD
    214.306.6700

    NORTHWEST HIGHWAY
    214.340.8008

    BELTLINE ROAD
    972.607.4400

  2. Click here to Download the Cremation Forms.
  3. Have the cremation authorization form notarized
  4. Fax the forms back to us at:
    • NW Highway
      214-340-8009
    • Preston Rd.
      972-526-7410
    • Belt Line Rd.
      972-573-1008
 

Additional Information