James T. Powers Ph.D.

James T. Powers, Ph.D.

July 23, 1944 - August 6, 2020

FALLS CHURCH, VA - Dr. James T. Powers, 76, of Falls Church, VA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at Fairfax Hospital. He was born July 23, 1944, in Glens Falls, NY, son of James W. and Helen (Dwyer) Powers.

Dr. Powers attended St. Mary's Academy and participated in Scouting for ten years with St. Mary's Pack 2, Troop 2, and Post 2, where he earned the Eagle Scout Award. During his high school years, he worked at Burns News Agency after school and during the summers. Dr. Powers graduated as Valedictorian from St. Mary's Academy, Class of 1962. He received his BS (cum laude) in Mathematics from Siena College in 1966, MS in Physics from Michigan State University in 1968, and Ph.D. in High Energy Physics from the University of Notre Dame in 1973.

He was employed by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in McLean, VA, for 19 years, followed by nearly 22 years with the US Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in Washington, DC. His work at SAIC included probabilistic risk assessments for nuclear power reactors, nuclear weapons effects research, and support to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the intelligence community. Dr. Powers began his Federal service in 1991, and immediately had an impact in establishing the fundamental technical bases for DOE and NNSA emergency management programs. Dr. Powers was the Policy Program Manager for the HQ Office of Emergency Management, where he developed policy governing emergency management programs across the DOE/NNSA complex focusing on emergency response to hazardous material releases. He was particularly proud of his participation in the AEC/ERDA 1975 Reactor Safety Study, a pioneering assessment of the risks related to commercial nuclear reactors, and his role as a principal responder on the DOE ESF-12 Team at FEMA HQ in Washington, DC, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On retiring from NNSA in 2013, Dr. Powers received the NNSA Silver Medal for Distinguished Service to National Security.

Outside of his professional activities, his interests included the Powers and Dwyer family genealogies, his baseball card collections, folk music, stamp and coin collecting, and, most of all, his grandchildren. He continued where his parents left off and spent much of his free time researching family genealogies. He returned to baseball card collecting when his sons were young, telling stories of purchasing packs of 1956 Topps for 5-cents at Collin's Newsroom while waiting for the Broad Acres Bus. He still listened to '60s and '70s folk music . . . and he would proudly tell folks that he never had a driver's license.

Well, if it were it up to him, then that would be it. However, it is not. Dr. Powers was every bit as described above, and he will be remembered for all of it. But he was more. Dr. Powers was Jim. He was Jimmy. He was Daddy. He was Dad. He was Grandpa…actually, he wasn't just Grandpa, he was the biggest-hearted Grandpa that there ever could be. He was Santa Claus. He was funny. He was a historian. He was smart. His faith was steadfast, and in the words of his dear friend, there's no doubt about where he is now. Look down upon us always, and know that you are loved as much as you loved us. Always and forever.

Survivors include his sister, Roberta Deyette, of Queensbury; his wife of 48 years, Anne (Hagey) Powers, formerly of South Bend, IN; four sons and one daughter-in-law: James W., Kenneth F., and Michael E. Powers of Fairfax, VA, and Sean P. and Basia Powers of Millis, MA; two grandsons: Noah (James) and Nathan (Michael); three granddaughters: Hanya and Maya (Sean) and Everlee (Michael); several nieces and nephews, a grandniece and several grandnephews; several aunts and uncles, and many Burns, Collier, and Dwyer cousins; and special friends, John Choppa, Tony Cafaro and Dave Moynehan. He was predeceased by his college roommate and good friend, Leo Cote.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:00 on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 62 Warren Street, Glens Falls.

Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, South Glens Falls.

Donations may be made in his name to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, VA, or Congregation of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, IN.

Those who wish may make online condolences at sbfuneralhomes.com.