Beatrice Mae Powell

Beatrice Mae Powell

Beatrice “Mamaw” Powell, 78, of Elizabethton, went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, December 28, 2010, at her residence following a brief illness. A native of Carter County, she was the daughter of the late Silas Clifton and Ada Clara Scalf Blackburn. Mrs. Powell was a retired employee of North American Rayon Corporation. She was an avid baseball fan of the East Tennessee River Dogs, the Elizabethton High School 2007 Baseball Team and the Atlanta Braves. Mrs. Powell attended East Fairview Free Will Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Homer Powell; a son, Homer Lloyd Powell Jr.; a son-in-law, Bob Smith; five sisters, Inez Blackburn, Faye Fulton, Ruby Cook, Helen Turner and Pearl Blackburn; a brother, Jack Clifton Blackburn; and a special nephew, Gene Grindstaff.

Mrs. Powell is survived by two daughters, Jackie and husband Bo Guinn and Mary “Mert” Smith, all of Elizabethton; three grandchildren, Kristy and husband Brandon Shell, favorite grandson Josh Guinn and Megan Guinn, all of Elizabethton; three great-grandchildren, Maci and Kolby Shell and Cooper “Cootie Bug”; and two sisters, Jane Grindstaff and husband Rev. Carl Grindstaff and Edna Greene, all of Elizabethton. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

The funeral service for Mrs. Powell will be conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 29, in the Sunset Chapel of Hathaway-Percy Funeral Home with Rev. Carl Grindstaff officiating. Music will be under the direction of Brandon Shell, Dean Burchette and Fred Ritchie. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 until 7 p.m. Wednesday, prior to the funeral service, or at the residence of her daughter, Jackie Guinn, where she had made her home, 123 Old Watauga Road, Elizabethton, at other times. Graveside services and interment will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday, December 30, at Happy Valley Memorial Park. Active pallbearers will be the East Tennessee River Dogs, Elizabethton High School baseball players, grandson Josh Guinn, Jordan Laws, Cory Hilton, Preston Smith, Drew Hyder, Blake Hopson, James Peterson and Daniel Moore. Honorary pallbearers will be Pat Guinn, Jonathan Grindstaff, Bob Townsend, Steven Guyn, Billy Henegar, Nate Baker and Ethan Cline. Everyone will meet at the funeral home at 2:15 p.m. Thursday to go in procession to the cemetery. Those who prefer memorials in lieu of flowers may make donations to East Fairview Free Will Baptist Church, c/o Rev. Carl Grindstaff, 604 Trudy Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643. Online condolences may be sent to the family and viewed by visiting our Web site at www.hathawaypercy.com. Arrangements for the Powell family have been entrusted to Hathaway-Percy Funeral Home.

Happy Valley Memorial Park