Dan Powers

The Reverend Daniel Paul Powers, Sr., 86, passed away Sunday, March 23, 2025.
The funeral service will be held Sunday 2 PM in the Wilkerson Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12 PM until the funeral hour at the funeral home.
Dan Powers was born in Andrews, SC to the Reverend and Mrs. R.E. Powers on October 10, 1938. He graduated from Andrews High School where he excelled in football receiving a full scholarship to play football at Clemson University. During that summer, Dan experienced God's call upon his life. He gave up football to serve his Lord. After graduating from Holmes Theological Seminary, he continued his education receiving a B.A. degree in Psychology from Presbyterian College. He then taught two years in high school in Rock Hill, SC. In 1964, he was drafted into the United States Army where he served as a chaplain in Korea in the DMZ. While there he was awarded the American Spirit Honor Medal.
After serving his country, he returned home where he taught at Andrews High School and coached football and basketball. In the summer of 1967, he met his future wife, Bunny Overton. On June 30, 1968 Dan and Bunny were married at Jarvis Memorial United Methodist Church. The first five years of marriage were spent in Andrews, SC. During that time, he completed his degree at Duke Divinity School. In addition to teaching and coaching, he pastored three churches. The last two years another church was added to make it four. The most memorable events during those five years were the births of his beloved sons Paul and Jonathan.
In 1973 Dan and family moved to Greenville, NC. Dan's father-in-law, Jonathan Overton asked Dan to partner with him in real estate and Overton & Powers Electronic Realty Associates was formed. Dan was a realtor and appraiser. He was a member of the Greenville Board of Realtors where he served as president. He also was the chairman of the Board of Realtors Ethics committee for many years. Soon after moving back to Greenville in 1973, the District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church asked him if he would fill in at Lane's Chapel and Saint Mark's in Kinston for that year. He agreed. At the end of the church year the people at Lane's Chapel wanted him to be their minister. Dan served as their minister for 27 years. He was blessed to have had only two appointments in his 32 years of service.
Dan loved music. He used the gift of singing to touch the hearts of so many people. Most of all, he loved to preach. His life's calling was to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love. After having open heart surgery in 1999, Dan retired from the ministry. He then served as the president of Mended Hearts for several years. Dan and Bunny were privileged to attend many national Mended Hearts conventions throughout the United States. Dan loved sports. He enjoyed officiating high school basketball for several years. When his sons started playing basketball and baseball, he became their biggest fan. At the end of that era, Paul and Jonathan became coaches in the Greenville Babe Ruth League. Wonderful summers were enjoyed watching his sons coach and win ballgames. Dan and Bunny traveled with the team to every State and Regional tournament. Later Dan's attention turned to watching his grandson play Upward Basketball and his twin granddaughters play Upward Basketball and softball. He also enjoyed refereeing the Upward Basketball games with his son Jonathan and grandson Jonathan.
In the spring and in the fall Dan and Bunny returned to their condo in North Myrtle Beach where Dan enjoyed surf fishing and visiting his family in Murrells Inlet and Georgetown. Although retired from the Methodist conference, Dan never retired from serving his Lord. He spent his life loving others and winning souls to Christ. The last few years he led the Dick Douglas Sunday School class. He used his gifts of singing, praying and teaching to bless others. Dan's life exemplified his faith. He loved God, he loved his family and he loved others. He would say to you "Acknowledge Him in all thy ways and He will direct thy path". Well done, Dan good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years Bunny, his two sons Paul (Angie), Jonathan (Leigh), grandchildren Jonathan, Erin and Cari Powers. His sister Faye Greco, his sisters-in-law Myrlee Powers, Millie Tripp and Dolly Hathaway and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents The Reverend R. E. Powers and his wife Bessie; by his brothers - David Powers, Ruis Cox, Eldridge Cox, The Reverend Bernard Cox, The Reverend David W. Cox, Jackie Powers, Robert (Bubba) Powers; and his sisters – Margaret Cameron, Miriam Thomas and Cleonis Benton.
In lieu of flowers; memorial contributions may be made to Christ Hope Church, PO Box 3482, Greenville, NC 27836 or Lane's Chapel Methodist Church, 2907 Highway 55 East, Kinston, NC 28501.