Bobby Hugh Powell
CAMERON—Bobby Hugh Powell, 88, was born Oct. 4, 1935 at home in the Ad Hall community of Milam County. He was the youngest of the four children of Hugh and Lettie Powell.
He attended Ad Hall school through the eighth Mr. Powell grade and graduated f rom Cameron Yoe High in 1953.
After graduation, he went to work in the Houston area as a pipefitter before joining the Cameron unit of the National Guard. After his six months of boot camp at Fort Bliss, he returned home and moved to Austin to attend Durham Business School.
After trying his hand at retail sales, he settled in his job at the Southern Pacific Railroad where he would meet his future father-inlaw.
He married Linda Sue Schultz on Aug. 29, 1959. Together they raised four children, Karen, Hugh, Jay and David.
In August 1961, his National Guard unit was called into active duty, and he spent one year at Fort Polk, Louisiana. During that time, he went to NCO school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, obtaining sergeant rank.
On Nov. 1, 1963, he became a State Farm Insurance agent in Austin and built a very successful agency. He was a top producer for most of the 19-1/2 years he worked in Austin, earning many awards and trips with the company.
He always wanted to be the best, so he attended LSU and obtained Certified Life Underwriter status.
Then in February 1983, he and the family moved to their ranch near Buckholts, and Bobby became agency manager for State Farm in the Temple area. With 20 agents in his charge, he quickly led them to the top rank, where they remained for most of the 13 years he was in that position before retiring on Oct. 1, 1995.
Upon retiring, he and Linda began a beautiful time of traveling, covering all 50 states and six of the seven continents. They also loved spending time with their children and grandchildren, making many great memories with them.
Bobby loved playing golf. He loved playing the great courses around the world.
Then in 1999, Bobby picked up an old guitar and taught himself to play. He began playing and singing at some of the local jams and going out to Arizona and playing two and three jams a day there. In 2018, he and Linda started going to the Rio Grande Valley for two months each winter, where he played at numerous jams.
Bobby was predeceased by his parents, Victor Hugh and Lettie Lewis Powell; a baby girl, Kimbra; and a son, Hugh Powell.
He is survived by Linda, his wife of 64 years; his children, Karen (David) Jennings, Jay (Kristy) Powell and David (Josie) Powell.
He also leaves behinds 16 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and many extended family members and friends.
In lieu of f lowers, the family asks for consideration of donations to First Baptist Church of Buckholts, P.O. Box 427, Buckholts TX 76518; your charity of choice; or the blood drive at your local hospital.
Services were held Friday, June 14, 2024, at Ma r ek-Burns -Lay wel l Funeral Home in Cameron.
Arrangements by Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home, P.O. Box 225, Cameron, TX 76520, 254-6973661.
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