Steve McKinley Powell

TAYLORSVILLE - On Wednesday, March 21, 2007, Steve McKinley Powell joined his son, Keith McKinley Powell, in Heaven. Also there to greet him were his parents, Colon McKinley and Essie Mae Poarch Powell; a granddaughter, Jessica Amanda Johnson; a great-grandson, Merick Powell; two sisters, Lillian Sigmon and Ruby Jones; four brothers, Dennis, Gary, K.L. and Hal Powell; and stepmother, Sarah Powell. Born in Burke County on April 17, 1926, Steve served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He married and is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Gay Sheets Powell. He enjoyed 36 years of serving the public as meat market manager for Trio Supermarkets. As an avid storyteller, his favorite pastime was entertaining his grandchildren with his many adventurous stories. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Kenneth Powell and wife, Mary, and Kevin Powell and wife, Lisa; four daughters, Krystal Broyhill and husband, Charles, Kathy Johnson and husband, Matthew, Karen Pearson and husband, Randy, and Kellie Ikerd and husband, Dwayne; a daughter-in-law, Barbara Powell; his grandchildren, Jason Powell and wife, Ginger, Jenny Powell, Shane and Holden Broyhill, David Powell and wife, Kersten, Derrick Powell and wife, Sabrina, Daniel Powell and wife, Dana, Anna Powell, Heather Powell Anderson and husband, Jeff, Justa Johnson Fox and husband, Alex, Jessie Johnson Oxentine and husband, Cody, Kasey and Zackary Pearson and Craig, Ashleigh and Christopher Ikerd; great-grandchildren, Sarah Powell, Caley Powell, Kellan Powell, Jacob Powell, Madison Oxentine and baby Anderson; two stepgreat-grandchildren, Tony and Aaron Smith; two brothers, Jim Kirby and Robert Powell; five sisters, Mable Smith and Jean Dellinger, Martha Powell Whisnant, Gillie Bell and Darlene (Marshall) Williams; a brother-in-law, Joe Sigmon; and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins, including Charles Powell. The family was at Alexander Funeral Service on Friday. The funeral will be conducted by the Revs. Mark Marshall and Jamie Steele at 11 a.m. today, Saturday, March 24, 2007, at East Taylorsville Baptist Church. The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Sheets Family Cemetery on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Laurel Springs,with military rites conducted by members of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 84 of Taylorsville. Grandsons will be pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Gideon Memorial Bible International, Taylorsville Camp, P.O. Box 517, Taylorsville, N.C. 28681. Arrangements provided by Alexander Funeral Service, Taylorsville. Condolences to the Powell family may be e-mailed to alexfuneralsvc@bellsouth.net.