Robert Lee Powell

1944 - 2013

Robert Lee Powell, 68, passed away on Friday, May 3, 2013, in Fort Worth. Service: A visitation for friends and family will take place at Greenwood Funeral Home on Wednesday, May 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials: Should you wish to honor Bob's memory with a donation, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made in Bob's name to any of the charities he cared about so deeply, including the All Church Home for Children, the Optimist Club of Fort Worth, the Tarrant County Food Bank, the Presbyterian Night Shelter, or the SPCA of Texas. Bob was born Nov. 23, 1944, in Dallas and was raised by loving adoptive parents, George C. and Winifred Powell. During his youth, Bob and his family lived in Detroit, Chicago and Atlanta. He attended W.F. Dykes High School in Atlanta, graduating with a business degree from SMU and receiving his MBA from DePaul University in Chicago. Bob saw distinguished military service in Vietnam as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars. Bob retired from Merrill Lynch in September 2012, after 30 happy and fulfilling years, attaining membership in the Merrill Lynch Quarter Century Club. Bob was generous and gentle, a great dancer, and a humble and brilliant man. He was a proud and loving husband, father and grandfather. Bob was blessed with a singular joie de vivre and he remained an eternal optimist who constantly delighted and surprised those around him. He was loved equally by personal friends and business associates. Bob was a complete renaissance man, excelling in everything he attempted, including starring in dozens of Junior Woman's Club spring shows. Bob delighted in taking part in many sartorial adventures, dressing up as Desi Arnaz, Andy Warhol, Joe Dirt and many other characters, and he brought down the house when he appeared as Dr. Frank N Furter. He and his wife Nancy Lamb have been glittering fixtures on the Fort Worth social and art scenes for many years. Together Bob and Nancy have created a tranquil 4 acre garden that surrounds their home in west Fort Worth. Their love-filled retreat has always been brimming with art, music, friends, family, and beloved pets, both domestic and wild. He enjoyed a close and loving relationship with his daughters, Haley and Amanda; and his grandson, Jackson. Next time you see a comet, think of Bob Powell. He was a rare bright light in all our lives. If you knew him, you loved him. Survivors: Wife, Nancy Lamb; daughters, Amanda Manis and husband, Jerry, and Haley Powell; grandson, Jackson Manis; sister, Bette Bell; brother, Jim Powell; sister, Georgina Powell; nephews, Travis, Steve and Bob Powell, and Michael and Jeffrey Jolley; nieces, Angela Desai, Erica Adams and Gina Bell.