James Robert Powers

James Robert Powers, 76, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away December 7, 2024 at Emory St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta after a brief illness. Jim was born Aug. 11, 1948 in Chicago, IL to Bernard and Muriel (Olson) Powers. He was predeceased by his parents, his son, Patrick Powers (1981-1988) and his wife, Kathleen (Hoffman) Powers. 

 Jim moved to Florida with his family in 1958, graduated from Palm Beach High School in West Palm Beach in 1966 and later attended both Stetson University in Deland and Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL, ultimately earning a Masters degree in Mathematics. Jim moved to Atlanta around 1980 where he worked as a computer programmer for the Salvation Army until his retirement and was active with the Atlanta Contra Dance and English Country Dance Community and MENSA. Jim was a gentle, sweet man who will be greatly missed by his brother, Tom Powers of Waynesville, NC, his sister, Janice Zeoli (Mel) of Hernando, FL, his two lovingly re-homed cats, and his many, many friends, to whom he would likely say, as one of his favorite T-shirts proclaimed, “Keep Calm and Dance On.”

 Jim's ashes will be returned to the earth in his beloved western North Carolina mountains in a private family ceremony.