Houston Powell

Houston Wayne Powell, born in Paducah, Texas, to Homer and Hester Houston Powell, died November 19, 2022, at the age of 86. As a farm boy, he attended several schools on the South Plains, ultimately graduating from Lubbock High School.

He attended Texas Tech on a baseball and football scholarship, but focused on baseball, saying that he only played football Monday through Wednesday. He was a pitcher on the Tech baseball team. The summer before graduating, he pitched for Lubbock's semi-pro baseball team. He obtained both his Bachelor's and Master's degree from Texas Tech.

He taught history, economics, government, and algebra. He coached a variety of sports at Midland Lee, before becoming Head football coach and Athletic Director at Roosevelt High School. In 1970, he was named South Plains AA Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to district and bi-district championships. His career also took him to Vega, Canyon and Beeville.

Post retirement, he had fun working ten years at Tascosa High School in Amarillo because he got to go home at four in the afternoon with plenty of time to play golf.

He found great joy in the careers and successes of his former assistants. Many became head coaches with successful programs. For players, he sought to instill lifelong skills of teamwork and character. He loved it when former students thanked him for teaching them to look at all sides of an issue... particularly politics. As Houston progressed in his career, he found it is not the size of the school or program, but the quality of the people.

He and his wife Colleen Johnson of Abernathy were blessed with one daughter, Kelle. Being a dedicated son, he moved to Lubbock to care for his mother in her last few years. There, he met and married Margaret Masten. They enjoyed their brief eight years of knowing one another traveling, gardening, talking, and laughing. Much laughter came from him learning to play bridge and her learning about pitches and passes. Oh, yes, they kept many doctors in Lubbock busy. They attended Monterey Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife Margaret, daughter Kelle Gressett of Midlothian, granddaughter McCall (Rance) Hawthorne of White Oak, great-grandson Thomas, and his brother Jerry (Trudy) Powell of Dallas, niece Ashley Powell of Denver, some special cousins and Margaret's children Susan Merritt and David Masten.

A memorial service will be held in the spring. He hated cold weather!