Charles Richard Powell

Charles Richard Powell, born May 3, 1956 passed away December 3, 2006. Charles was born in Ft. Worth, Texas because "that's where the doctor was," May 3, 1956. He grew up in Mesquite and graduated from North Mesquite High School in 1974. He met his wife, Cheryl, in seventh grade after making fun of her last name, which caused considerable animosity for many years.After asking her out every Friday her senior year, and being turned down, they started dating in January 1974.They began their life together May 10, 1974.They were both just barely 18 years old, but they were in love. After six years of marriage a carbon copy of Charles came along in the form of Tyler Richard Powell.Fourteen months later was the icing on the cake with the birth of Cody Ray Powell.He loved his boys so much!He held them, bathed them, walked the floor with them, played with them, read to them. Yes, he changed diapers, and was proud of the fact that he never got squirted. His whole world revolved around them.He coached them in every sport they played and passed on the competitive nature that he himself had inherited from his mother.He never let them win at Hi-Ho Cheery-O, even though they would cry when he took all their cherries.He said they had to learn how to lose as well as win. He was involved in everything they did, and was so proud of the men they became.They are his legacy. He also taught them faith by example.Charles loved God and had given his heart to Jesus at an early age and never wavered in his faith.He always said he was not afraid to die, because he knew where he was going.Both his sons were in church before they were even born.He knew, as much as he loved them, that God loved them more because His love is perfect.It is this perfect love that sustains us now in our loss. Charles was so many things to so many people!His sense of humor was quick and sharp.He could laugh at anything, including himself.Some of the funniest times he had were when he and his brother-in-law, Gary, would fart in a room full of people, then stand back and watch the reaction.Like pubescent boys, they would laugh until they cried and couldn't breathe, while the rest of us were gasping for air.He loved watching his sister, Susan, gag and choke, and he would wait for whatever comment she came up with because it was always unusual and funny, His younger sister, Brenda, idolized him.Before he married she would raid his closet and take his denim jacket that said "Slim" on the back.He would get angry and his mother would say, "Now, son, she's just a little girl who loves her brother."Then he would just melt and grab another jacket. His mother was the source of many memories and many of the traits that could drive his wife crazy.He always talked about how, when he was growing up, the two of them would fold laundry while watching old movies.His mother is fiercely competitive, and Charles was just as fierce.Whatever he did, he did it 100% and he was in it to win.He loved spending time with her, and she accompanied him on many trips during his lawn mower racing journeys.She would ride shotgun while he drove, and they would talk all the way there and all the way back, which was usually hours.He loved her cooking and she loved to cook for him. Charles was a sensitive man, but very few people knew that.He kept his emotions in check, but he was always at the right place and time when there was a need.He was so smart, and he could fix anything.He could see problems from many angles and was great at finding the perfect solution because he could think outside the box.After working for TXU for thirty years, he had the privilege to be employed by Fred Oberlender.He loved his job and all who he worked with, but especially Fred.They were kindred spirits, and Charles was so happy to be there. Charles never met a stranger.He could talk to anyone about anything, just to strike up a conversation.He was not especially a "dog person", but he tolerated the three dogs his wife brought home because he loved her. Charles loved to "debate" (some would call it "argue").He loved an energetic debate, the more people involved, the better.For reasons that will never be known, he loved to save jars.Any kind of jars: jelly jars, dressing jars, pickle jars, it didn't matter.He always said, "You never know when you're going to need a good jar."He was forever leaving little piles on the counter and table, piles of stuff he deemed important, but to his wife it looked like junk. Every once in a while she would go on a rampage and make him clean up, which he would do with a twinkle in his eye.He loved pushing her buttons! He was notorious for his thriftiness (some have called it "cheap", but we will say "thrifty").When Tyler and Cody were teenagers and eating everything in sight, Charles would take them to Cici's Pizza for all you can eat pizza for just $3.99.To this day, Tyler will not eat at Cici's!Charles also had a Chinese restaurant close to his office that was an all you can eat buffet.When asked if the food was good he replied, "It's all you can eat!" Charles loved competing and sports.He played softball on several leagues, rode bulls, played and refereed soccer, built his own BBQ smoker and won several BBQ cook offs, and raced lawnmowers.He said racing lawn mowers was a feeling like nothing else;it couldn't be described, it had to be experienced.He loved racing, and he also loved being on staff with the United States Lawn Mower Association and being chief steward.He loved the people, the excitement and the activity. Charles and Cheryl recently bought six acres in the country and built their dream house.They lived in the barn for fifteen months while building, which Charles saw as another adventure.They loved their house, and had it just how they wanted it.Charles added so many personal touches, and made the house maintenance free and energy efficient.He installed the flagstone walkway with Cody, but most of the work was done by himself.He loved his shop and was always tinkering on something. He could never sit still; he always had to be doing something. Cheryl once told him, "You know, Charles, I may not have always liked being married to you, but I've never been bored."He just smiled with that twinkle in his eye. There are no words to describe our loss and there is no filling the void he has left.We know he is in heaven with so many of the wonderful people he loved, and we know we will see him again.For now, we are left to grieve his death and celebrate his life.Oh, what a life! Preceded in death by; Father, Ray Powell; Grandparents, Mimi and TDaddy; Grandparents, Rose and Harold.Survived by Wife, Cheryl Powell; Son, Tyler and wife Crystal Powell; Son, Cody Powell; Mother, Pat Bunch; Sister, Susan and husband Chief Gary Westphal; Sister, Brenda and husband Ross Beedle; and many other loving family and friends. Service will be Wednesday, December 6, 2006 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Baptist Church of Sunnyvale, 3018 Belt Line Road in Sunnyvale, Texas.Family will receive friends Tuesday, December 5, 2006,from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at New Hope Funeral Home, 500 East Hwy 80, Sunnyvale, Texas. Interment to follow the service at Restland Memorial Park. Donations may be made to the Youth Department of First Baptist Church of Sunnyvale in honor of Charles Powell. First Baptist Church of Sunnyvale, 3018 Belt Line Road in Sunnyvale, Texas.