Gordon Powell

1931 - 2025

Gordon Vinson Powell, Jr., age 94, was born on August 8, 1931, in Austin, Texas, to Gordon Vinson Powell, Sr. and Mary Bobbitt Powell. He met Jesus in Heaven on December 31, 2025, at his home in Cedar Creek, Texas, and was joyfully reunited with his beloved wife, Sadie, whom he dearly missed.
Gordon married Sadie Herwig on November 24, 1950. She passed away just days before what would have been their 74th wedding anniversary.
Gordon graduated from S. F. Austin High School in Austin in 1950 and began a lifelong career as a surveyor. He was employed by the City of Austin, where he proudly served for 34 years before retiring. During his tenure, he worked in the Engineering Division and later in the Water and Wastewater Department. His roles included rodman, instrument man, party chief, and construction supervisor. His work contributed to numerous infrastructure projects that helped transform Austin from a modest capitol city into the metropolis it is today.
After retiring from the City of Austin, Gordon returned to surveying as a party chief with S. A. Garza Engineers, surveying new subdivision developments and traveling across Texas to assist small cities with infrastructure improvement projects. His final employment was with White Construction, where he worked in commercial development projects, laying out tilt-wall buildings for large shopping centers, including the expansion of the San Marcos Outlet Mall. He later volunteered his time with the Cedar Creek Cemetery Association, with his wife, Sadie, serving as his rodwoman. Together, they staked each plot in the Upper Cedar Creek Cemetery addition, close to the spot where, in time, both would be laid to rest.
In his later years with the City of Austin, Gordon acquired property in Cedar Creek, where he and Sadie spent weekends building their forever home. Their home became a place of warmth and hospitality, always open to friends and family. One of their greatest joys was hosting pastors and their wives for Sunday lunch and offering them a place of rest between services.
Gordon was a faithful member and deacon of Baptist Temple Church while living in Austin, and later at Cedar Creek Baptist Church and Cedar Valley Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for many years and loved sharing the story of Jesus with everyone he met. He began a cherished family tradition of gathering around the bible each Christmas to read the birth of Christ from Luke 2:1–20 before opening gifts.
Gordon enjoyed caring for his cattle-affectionately referring to them as his "babies"-feeding them range cubes each morning. Earlier in life, he loved spending time with friends and family chasing 'coons up the tree while hunting with his dog, Rock, and traveling to the mountains of Colorado to hunt for a large buck. One of his greatest pleasures was watching Sadie hook a big one on her cane pole while they fished together at the lake.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, his parents, and his sister, Atrelle Wheeler.
Gordon is survived by his daughter, Patricia "Patti" Harbers (Dwain); his son, Gary Powell (Tonye); three grandchildren, Donna Thompson (Jason), Aron Harbers (Stephanie Taylor), and Kelly Andrews (Wayne); six great-grandchildren, Tyler Thompson (Lillie Chastain), Katelyn Thompson, Clayton Andrews, Avery Andrews, Tanner Harbers, and Harper Taylor; one great-great-grandchild, Cainen McDowell-Duffie; his daughter-in-love, Sharon Schmidt; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cedar Valley Baptist Church, 2905 FM 969, Elgin, TX 78621, https://www.cvb.life/giveonline or Feed the Need Missions, PO Box 1542, Bastrop, TX 78602, https://feedtheneed.org/donate-now/.
Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5th, 2026 at Marrs-Jones-Newby Funeral Home, 505 Old Austin Highway, Bastrop, Texas.
Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 6th, 2026 at Cedar Valley Baptist Church, 1905 FM 969, Elgin, Texas with burial following at the Upper Cedar Creek Cemetery.