James lived with relatives until at the age of 5 he moved with his parents to Evansville, In. He remembers being told that he lived with his Uncle Gould and Aunt Lillie Clayton for some of that time. JP Jr 6/97
James Edward Powell Sr. (obituary in Gainesville Sun on May 28, 2004)
James Edward Powell Sr. of Waldo died Tuesday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville. He was 78.
Mr. Powell was born in Madisonville, Ky., and moved to this area from Evansville, Ind., in 1953. He was a retired mechanic.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 10 and Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 120.
He was also a member of First United Methodist Church of Waldo.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sandra Jo Patrick.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Evelyn Powell of Waldo; sons James E. Powell Jr. and Steven Jay Powell, both of Waldo; daughters Deborah Kropp and Linda Cooper, both of Gainesville; a brother, Dennis Powell of Texas; 12 grandchildren; and 17 great-grand- children.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
It was common knowledge that Dad had served in the Navy during WWII and was captured by the Japanese after his ship was torpedoed and sank and that he was held as a POW for about 18 months until the end of the war.
After his death we sent for his military records. Several things had not been adding up and we wanted to know more about his time in the POW camp. Upon recieving the records we discovered that he had never been a POW or on a ship that had sunk. He had been disciplined twice early on for being absent on leave (didn't come back from leave when he was suppose to). The third time this happened he was missing for 45 days and been declard AWOL. When he was caught he was in a car that had been stolen and taken across state lines. We believe he was with another enlisted man. He was sentenced to 15 months in a Naval prison and was to be given a dishonarable discharge. He was a model prisoner and his sentence was reduced. When he was released he was allowed to stay in the service and was sent immediately to sea onboard the destroyer escort, USS Tomich.
James lived with relatives until at the age of 5 he moved with his parents to Evansville, In. He remembers being told that he lived with his Uncle Gould and Aunt Lillie Clayton for some of that time. JP Jr 6/97
James Edward Powell Sr. (obituary in Gainesville Sun on May 28, 2004)
James Edward Powell Sr. of Waldo died Tuesday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville. He was 78.
Mr. Powell was born in Madisonville, Ky., and moved to this area from Evansville, Ind., in 1953. He was a retired mechanic.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 10 and Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 120.
He was also a member of First United Methodist Church of Waldo.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sandra Jo Patrick.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Evelyn Powell of Waldo; sons James E. Powell Jr. and Steven Jay Powell, both of Waldo; daughters Deborah Kropp and Linda Cooper, both of Gainesville; a brother, Dennis Powell of Texas; 12 grandchildren; and 17 great-grand- children.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
It was common knowledge that Dad had served in the Navy during WWII and was captured by the Japanese after his ship was torpedoed and sank and that he was held as a POW for about 18 months until the end of the war.
After his death we sent for his military records. Several things had not been adding up and we wanted to know more about his time in the POW camp. Upon recieving the records we discovered that he had never been a POW or on a ship that had sunk. He had been disciplined twice early on for being absent on leave (didn't come back from leave when he was suppose to). The third time this happened he was missing for 45 days and been declard AWOL. When he was caught he was in a car that had been stolen and taken across state lines. We believe he was with another enlisted man. He was sentenced to 15 months in a Naval prison and was to be given a dishonarable discharge. He was a model prisoner and his sentence was reduced. When he was released he was allowed to stay in the service and was sent immediately to sea onboard the destroyer escort, USS Tomich.
Gainesville Sun - June 23, 1968 (4A:7)
William E. Powell, 69, of Orange Heights died Friday at his residence.
A native of Madisonville, KY, he had lived here for 15 years. He was a
retired plumber and member of the Babtist Church.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs Ona A. Powell of Orange Heights; and three
sons, Dennis W. Powell of Orange Heights, Edgar T. Powell of Gainesville and Jim Powell of WaldoFuneral Service will be Monday, June 24, 1968 at Orange Heights Babtist Church, Orange Heights. Buriel will be in Orange Heights Cemetary under the direction of Williams-Thomas Funeral Home. Mr. Powell, who lived in Orange Heights, died June 21, 1968 at his home. He had lived here for 15 years.