Ian Powell Flack

FLACK WINSTON-SALEM Ian Powell Flack July 19, 1998 - Jan. 8, 2013 Ian Powell Flack, a sweet soul who deeply touched everyone he met, returned to his Maker at the age of 14, after a life spent struggling to live and do what comes very easy to most. Ian was born with a genetic disorder that made his muscles too weak to support normal activity. Though he was homebound for the majority of his life, and rarely traveled anywhere except to medical centers across the country in the hope that they could diagnose his condition, he touched more lives, more deeply than most people do. Unfortunately, the current state of medical knowledge was inadequate to diagnose, much less treat or cure his condition. Ian was unable to speak. But he had a keen mind and a sharp sense of humor, and could communicate through the use of a computer when he was young and his muscles were still strong and coordinated enough for his hands to use the keys. Ian was a loving, accepting soul whose spirit helped many others live a deeper, more meaningful life. He is survived by his mother and father, Julie Powell and Richard Flack, both of Winston-Salem; his grandparents, Phil and Judy Razor of Catawba, Hugh and Janean Kennedy of Winston-Salem, and Mickey Flack, also of Winston-Salem; and by numerous loving aunts, uncles and cousins. Ian will be missed by many, including his friend and frequent visitor Amy Rose; as well as Cindy, Elke, Eric, James, Jennifer, Rickey and Tamra, the highly skilled and caring team of nurses who attended to Ian around the clock for almost half his life; Dr. Doug Gardner, who worked hard to make Ian comfortable and add quality to his life; Miss Donna, an Angel disguised as Ian's homebound teacher; and many staff members at The Children's Center, which Ian attended from infancy until he became homebound at about the age of 6. Ian's organs are being donated so that as many as 15 additional people whom Ian never met can also be touched by and benefit from his generous loving spirit, now that he is gone. This world lost a beautiful soul on January 8, but his memory will live on as a blessing to all of the people whose lives he touched during his all-too-brief sojourn here on this earth. Ian's body will be cremated, and a memorial service and family reception will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, at Konnoak Hills United Methodist Church at 430 Weisner St., Winston-Salem. Those interested in honoring Ian's memory are encouraged to make donations in his name to The Children's Center on Coliseum Drive.


This obituary was originally published in the Winston-Salem Journal.