Andrew Jackson Powers

POWERS, ANDREW JACKSON Andrew Jackson Jack Powers passed to his reward on Friday, Nov. 21, 2003 at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, at Crestview Church of Christ, with Dr. Gary Beauchamp officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be 4-6 Sunday, November 23 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel, 6101 Bosque Blvd. Mr. Powers was born August 4, 1918 in West, to Walter Lee Powers and Nanny Robbs Powers, the youngest of five children. At a very early age he lost his father and the family moved from West to Waco, where he worked after school and weekends stocking and cleaning shelves for a neighbor hood grocery; later selling newspapers in the evenings in downtown Waco. He got his early education in Waco Public schools, moved to California in his teen years and finished High School there. He got his engineering education by correspondence courses while working in construction as a carpenter. He worked for a number of years as a civil engineer for various engineering firms over the country. In 1948 he came back to Waco as civil engineer for Ebasco Inc., building the power plant for Texas Power and Light; met the love of his life Margaret Powers and they were married on April 23, 1949. After traveling over the U.S., building power plants, they returned to Waco to settle and start their family. Jack started his own general contracting firm, A.J. Powers Inc., and built many central Texas commercial buildings. In about 1970 Jack branched out purchasing majority stock in Coolidge 1st State Bank, Mt. Calm 1st State Bank, and Italy 1st State Bank. He sold his bank interests when his health no longer allowed him to be active. Although Jack was not privileged to go to college, he was always interested in others getting a good education. He was instrumental in establishing Christian College of the Southwest, in Mesquite, which later became the Dallas campus of Abilene Christian University. He was a member of the Church of Christ serving as a deacon for many years. His latest interest has been in seeing a dream come to reality in the construction of a Community Center at Crestview Church of Christ. Jack was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Howard Powers; and one sister, Lola Mae Harrison. Survivors include; wife, Margaret; daughter, Roseann and husband Ben Roth of Dallas; son, Brad Powers of Austin; grandsons, Gary Babb, John Bradley Powers, Jesse Roth; granddaughters, Rachael Christy and Rebecca Bryan, and four great grandchildren; one sister, Geraldine Hanreddy of Milwaukee and two nephews. Pallbearers will be; Gary Babb, Jesse Roth, John Graves, Ken Willis, Weldon Walker, Newman Copeland, and Bob Pearson. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Community Center Building Fund; c/o Crestview Church of Christ, 7129 Delhi Road, Waco, Texas 76712