Virgil Elwood Powell

Virgil Elwood (Bud) Powell, age 92, of Rigby passed away at his home in Rigby Thursday February 12, 2015. Bud was born November 27, 1922 at St. Anthony, Idaho a son of Ulysses Grant Powell and Lavina Madsen Powell. He attended schools in St. Anthony and graduated from St. Anthony High School. He attended and graduated from Ricks College when it was a four year school. While attending Ricks College he participated on basketball and track teams. He earned a master’s degree from Utah State University in Education Administration. He married Merlyn Rich November 27, 1946 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. He served in the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific Theater during WWII as a Pilot. He retired from the Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1980. Bud worked as a principal and teacher in Parker and St. Anthony schools and as Superintendent of Schools for District 251 in Rigby from 1965 to 1983, serving in education for 33 years. He was an active member of the LDS Church, was a faithful home teacher and especially enjoyed working in the extraction program for 5 years He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed and loved his family, yard work and serving others. He is survived by his wife Merlyn Powell of Rigby, five daughters: Corinne Powell of Sacramento, California, Kara (Mark) Davis of Highland, Utah, Suzanne (Wes) Woods of Rigby, Gina (Gerald) Humphries of Parker, and Peggy Hanny of Idaho Falls, three sons: Wylie (Vickie) Powell of Rexburg, Rich (Kris) Powell of Rexburg and Lynn (Pam) Powell of Rigby, 38 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 sisters and and 5 half brothers, a daughter-in-law, Teri Powell, two grandsons Kendall Woods and Alex Hanny and a great grandson Kellen Cox. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rigby Fourth Ward LDS Church, 401 West 1st South. The family will visit with friends on Monday at the Fourth Ward LDS Church from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and again on Tuesday at the Church, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Burial will be in the Parker Cemetery under the care of Eckersell Memorial Chapel in Rigby. The family will appreciate contributions to a charity of choice on behalf of Virgil “Bud” Powell.