Jesse M. Powers, Jr.

Jesse Monroe Powers, Jr., age 100 a resident of Chocowinity, died Saturday, December 28, 2024, at his home.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 4th, 2025, at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington with Dr. Richard Sheriff officiating. Burial will follow in Oakdale Cemetery. Jesse Powers IV, Galen Powers, William Hardy, Bennie Hardy, Stephen McLawhorn, and Danny Carter will serve as pallbearers.

The family will receive friends at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington on Friday from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, and other times at the home of his daughter, 3377 NC Hwy 17 S Business, Chocowinity.

Jesse was born on July 31, 1924, in Washington NC, to the late Jesse Monroe Powers Sr. and Mamie Jane Taylor Powers. He was a 1943 graduate of Washington High School. On January 17th, 1948, he married Mildred Mae Weatherly, who preceded him in death on July 26, 1999. Jesse started working at Belk-Tyler’s right after graduating high school. Shortly afterward, he received his draft notice and enlisted in the US Army to serve his country during WWII.

He served from October 1944 to August 1946. He was deployed to Europe in March 1945, where he participated in the Central Europe Campaign as a field lineman with the 3rd Army's XX Corps Artillery. He also performed military police duties with the occupation forces at the end of the war. He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a Bronze Service Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, and the Occupation Medal. He was discharged in August 1946 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

After his discharge, he returned to work at Belk-Tyler’s and worked as a salesperson and in management at all three store locations in Washington’s Belk-Tyler’s for a total of 47 ½ years.  He was member of the 1st Baptist Church in Chocowinity, where he served as a Deacon. Jesse was on the Beaufort County Hospital Board of Trustees, and the Chocowinity Planning and Zoning Committee. He loved old cars, hunting and fishing.

Mr. Jesse lived a wonderful life, always sporting a smile and a great sense of humor. He made the world a better place. A true southern gentleman and Christian, his life serves as a blueprint for how men should live.

Survivors include his children, Kathy Powers Carter (John) of Chocowinity and Jesse Monroe Powers, III (Vickie) of  the Wilmar community, grandchildren, Lisa Marie Stokesberry (Linwood Jr.) of Chocowinity, Jesse Monroe Powers, IV of Wilmar and Galen Michael Powers of Greenville, great grandchildren, Linwood Stokesberry. He was preceded in death by a great grandchild, Nicholas Ray Stokesberry.

In lieu of flowers memorial, contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Powers family.