Patricia Walls Powers

Patricia Ann (Walls) Powers was born on May 24, 1935, in Bradford, PA, to Dr. William and Genevieve Walls and entered the presence of Jesus on June 4 in Waco at age 88. Visitation will be at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home Friday, June 9 from 6-8 p.m. The funeral service will be Saturday, June 10 at 10 a.m. in the chapel at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home with burial afterward at Waco Memorial Park next to her husband, Dr. Darden Powers.

Patty’s family moved to Bartlesville, OK, in 1936, where her father became a chemist at Phillips Petroleum. She attended schools there through her graduation from College High as valedictorian, invited the Lord into her heart as a child, was baptized at age 13 and served him faithfully the rest of her life.

In 1953, she enrolled at the University of Oklahoma on scholarship, double majoring in math and chemistry and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, later rooming two years with her sister Dona Fitzgerald. While there, she also served as secretary to two of her math professors, later earning a BS degree with special distinction in 1957 with high honors.

She was such an outstanding student that a mentoring professor urged her to pursue her master’s and doctorate in chemistry, unusual for a woman in that day, but she had already met the man of her dreams in a physics lab he taught, and declined, marrying her true love on July 6, 1957.

Dr. and Mrs. Powers moved to Pasadena, CA, in 1957, where she worked as a chemist at AeroJet as he finished his doctorate at Cal Tech. They also enjoyed teaching a junior high Sunday School class together and loved to hike the local mountains.

The couple moved to Waco in 1961, where he accepted a physics professor position at Baylor University until his death in 2005 and were members at Grace Temple Baptist and Parkview Baptist for years before joining Cornerstone Church in Robinson shortly after its founding in 1984. There, her husband taught the auditorium Sunday School class over 20 years.

Also preceding her in death were her parents, her older brother Hugh Walls, younger brothers Ron Walls, Gregg Walls, Philip Walls and Larry Walls, brothers-in-law Charles Powers and Percy Powers, Jr., sister-in-law Naomi Powers and infant son James Powers in 1974.

Surviving siblings include younger sisters Dona Fitzgerald (and husband Dean) and Linda Fields (husband Tim), younger brother Richard (wife Sheri), sisters-in-law Vicki Walls, Rachel Walls, Nancy Walls, Sandy Walls and Betty Powers along with numerous nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by her daughter Susan Breen (husband Larry) of Hewitt, and sons John Powers (wife Lisa) of Plano, David Powers (wife Shonda) of Hewitt, and Peter Powers (wife Christy) of McGregor, along with grandchildren Kristin and Kevin Breen, Derek Watson (wife Savannah), Alyssa Gerard (husband Tommy), Brandon and Macy Powers, and Kaitlin, Aaron and Micah Powers, and great-grandchildren Kinley Watson-Moffett and Kylo Watson.

She played violin as a young girl through college and enjoyed classical music all her life. Deeply devoted to her family as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she never turned down a request for babysitting and stroller walks and was extremely generous to all. She also enjoyed sewing, cooking, flowers and gardening and family trips to Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee as well as hosting family holiday dinners.

Pallbearers will be Kevin Breen, Tommy Gerard, Joseph Harris, Aaron Powers, Brandon Powers, and Derek Watson, and memorials may be made to Cornerstone Church. The family would like to thank the doctors and caregivers at Encompass Healthcare and Providence Hospice and invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.