Obituary of Travis Powell

MARION VIRGINIA: TRAVIS R. POWELL, age 36, died January 19, 2009 at his home in Carey, Ohio. Travis was an accomplished organist, pianist, and music instructor in the Marion, Virginia, Dallas, Texas and Carey, Ohio areas, having graduated with a Bachelor of Church Music degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and the Master of Sacred Music degree from Perkins School of Theology and Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He was Director of Music and Organist at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. He also taught general Music in grades 6th through 8th at Our Lady of Consolation School. His responsibilities included directing the shrine chorale and children's choir and planning and playing over 650 Masses a year in the popular pilgrimage Shrine, which houses the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Consolation that was brought to the United States in the 1800's. He was the artistic director of the Carey Ecumenical Choir. Travis performed for Pope Benedict XVI in January 2008 at St. Peters Basilica in Rome, Italy with his mother in attendance. He was a member of the American Guild of Organists, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, Organ Historical Society, American Choral Directors Association, Choristers Guild, and the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians. He is survived by his parents, Robert and Shelby Powell of Marion, Virginia; brothers and sisters-in-law, Captain Robert L. Powell, Jr., and wife, Cathy of Alexandria, Virginia and Jonesborough, Tennessee and Danny S. Powell and wife, Angela of Trenton, Florida; special friend, Deb Hussey and his dog, Oscar. Funeral services will be held, Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church with Pastor Joe Shumate and Pastor James H. Bangle officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 until 2:00 p.m.at the church. Burial will follow in the Rose Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Travis Powell Memorial Music Scholarship Fund, c/o of The Bank of Marion, P. O. Box 1067, Marion, Virginia 24354. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory is serving the Powell Family.