George Edwin Powell

Powell, George Edwin (April 03, 1934-January 29, 2017) George “Red” Powell was born to a farming family in Horseshoe, North Carolina where he developed his can do attitude and strong work ethic. While attending Hendersonville High School, he became a star football and basketball player & led his school’s basketball team to the 1952 State Class AA title where he received the most outstanding player award in that tournament. George received a Bachelor of Science Degree from North Carolina State University in 1956. Following that he was involved in military & commercial aviation for over 54 years. His flight experience began as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force & then in the South Carolina Air National Guard where he was an instructor and flew fighters including the F86, F102, and F104. His commercial aviation experience started in 1964 at Pan American World Airways where he was a Captain on the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A300 flying international flights. For nine of those years, he was a Training/Check Captain and a FAA Designee on the B747. When Pan Am ceased operations, he concluded his career as a flight instructor for Airbus, the European consortium that manufactures civil aircraft. There he was qualified on the A300, A330, and A340 where he enjoyed teaching pilots from around the world. He was also involved in the development & facilitation of the Crew Resource Management Program at Airbus. “Papa Bear” was a cowboy hat-wearing, cigar-chewing gentlemen who never met a stranger. He had an indomitable spirit & shared his love of life with all those that were around him. He was a fierce and loving protector of his family, the loudest parent at every sporting event, the life of every party, a consummate Southern story-teller, a comedian and prankster, and an unbelievably hardworking and generous man. George was surrounded by his family when he passed at his home in Jupiter, Florida. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary Lee Powell; his seven children, Mike Powell, Sherri (Chuck) Grantham, Sandy (John) Melchor, Salli Powell, Leesa (Aidan Broggy) Powell, James (Ewa) Powell, and Laura Yonkers; his six grandchildren, Shawn, Kora & Henry Powell, Viktor Yonkers, Annabel & Jackson Broggy; his great-granddaughter, Hayden Powell:, and his sister, Sharon Johnson. A private Memorial Service for the family will be held at the South Florida VA National Cemetery & in North Carolina at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to Child Fund International at ChildFund.org. Arrangements are being handled by the Neptune Society and communications to the family can be sent to www.NeptuneSociety.com.