October 28, 1942 – December 23, 2024
John Mark Powell was born in Paoli, Indiana, to John Thomas and Dorothy Marie Pinnick Powell on October 28, 1942. He lived his early years in the Powell Valley community of rural Martin County.
He helped his father build their new house in suburban Shoals, which the family moved into in 1958. John graduated from Shoals High School in 1960. He joined the Army on October 7, 1964, which began his lifelong interest in computing and communications technology. He served as a Machine Accounting Specialist until his discharge on October 6, 1966, at the rank of SP5. After his discharge from the Army, he moved to Indianapolis and later settled in Plainfield, Indiana. He began his career with the FAA in 1968. He served many roles there, including controlling taxi ways from the tower, air traffic controller, and finally, focusing on the computer operations that supported these functions. He retired from the FAA on January 3, 2003.
John obtained his pilot license in the late 70s and served over a decade as a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol. He would often pilot those missions in their Cessna.
He was a lifetime member of the Shoals American Legion Post 61.Â
Our Uncle Johnny was an avid fan of NASCAR and Indy car racing. He and his friends were regulars at the Indy 500 and Talladega for decades.
In retirement, he enjoyed tinkering with his shortwave radio station, dozens of home computer systems, and building out his home automation. In addition, he was the family/community photographer, always lining the family up for photos during gatherings, ignoring all complaints and eye-rolling from the group’s younger members.
Both of his parents preceded him in death. He is survived by his sister, Zoe Ann Baum of Monticello, Indiana; nephew, John E. Baum (Alice), of Ventura, California; niece, Rachel Baum (Amro) of Chicago, Illinois; and great-niece, Stephanie LeGault (Adam) and great-great niece, Claire LeGault of Thousand Oaks, California, and his many close cousins and friends who have known, loved, respected, and admired his integrity, loyalty, patience and kindness throughout his lifetime.
Uncle Johnny, we love you!
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Shoals Christian Church. Burial will follow in the Ames Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until the time of service at the church. A reception will be held at the Shoals Christian Church Resource Center.
The Queen-Lee Chapel of George Funeral Care has been entrusted with the arrangements.
