William R. Ron Powell
William R. “Ron” Powell
William R. “Ron” Powell, 79, passed away on May 11, 2012 in Missoula.
One of nine children, he was born Dec. 16, 1932 in Georgia to Roland Quinton and Naomi Alice (Burkett) Powell, he was raised on a farm and attended school in Telfair County, Georgia. Ron joined the Army for three years.
There he trained in heavy artillery receiving his honorable discharge and returning to Georgia where he became employed by his brother, Gene Powell, in the house painting business.
Following this, Ron was a mechanic for many years in Jacksonville, Fla. It was here that he met and later married Jerry Cordier in July of 1967. Together they have a daughter Tracy who was born in 1969.
They then moved to Montana in 1972 where he has been a resident of the Mission Valley for the past 40 years.
Ron loved to hunt and fish in both Georgia and Montana but always felt Montana was more like Heaven with its elk and deer. He was a great dad to Tracy and worked at Brown’s Texaco in Ravalli, Cenex and Doug Allards General Store in St. Ignatius.
His hunting buddies were his nephew Jim Cordier and Ann Fyant. A good Christian, he had a love of people and just three years ago moved to Polson to be closer to Tracy and her family. He later divorced Jerry but they remained friends.
Ron was preceded in death by many of his family including his parents, brother Gene and sister Louise as well as a granddaughter Chloe Cutfinger.
He leaves behind two daughters Rhonda Albert his grandsons David and Zachary of Jacksonville, Fla. and Tracy Powell of Polson and her family, husband Rudy Cutfinger, Paige, Brittany and Carter, also of Polson, Jessica Amoritte of St. Ignatius and Ruben (Angela) and Ruben’s daughter Evah of Missoula; a brother Roy in Georgia as well as many good friends including Jerry Powell and Ann Fyant and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held Sunday at the Foster Funeral Home in St. Ignatius with a small prayer service being held at 7 p.m. Sunday in the chapel. Funeral services will be held Monday at 1 p.m. in the Cornerstone Church in St. Ignatius with Pastor Lynn Lapka officiating.
Interment will follow in the St. Ignatius Catholic cemetery where military honors will be presented by the Mission Valley Honor Guard.
Condolences may be left at fosterfhandcrematory.com. A special thanks to the Partners of Home Health, Missoula, Lisa, Deb, Pam and Tammy. Also Ruben and Angela for being there to help in Dad’s final weeks.