Sunday, December 14, 2008

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO NAME THIS ENTRY

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I HAVEN'T WRITTEN HERE SINCE THE DAY TOMMY TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE WHICH WAS NOV. 10TH. THEY WORKED ON HIM ALL NIGHT AND DID EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE. 

HE DIED WITH US ALL AROUND HIS BEDSIDE AT 8:35 AM. NOV. 11TH

NOT ONCE OR TWICE IN MY LIFE TIME BUT THIS IS THE THRID TRAGEDY OF THIS MAGNATUDE IN MY LIFE.

I HAD BUILT MY WHOLE LIFE AROUND TOMMY AND HE HAD DONE THE SAME FOR ME. I GRIEVED FOR THE LAST 9 YRS. OVER MY HUSBAND BUT WITH THE HELP OF TOMMY MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN HAD MEANING AND MY HEART LOVED ONCE AGAIN. THERE WAS SO MANY HAPPY WONDERFUL TIMES AT THE RANCH AND EVERY MOMENT WE WERE TOGETHER WAS SO HAPPY AND JOYOUS FOR US. 

ALL THE TECHNICOLOR HAS GONE OUT OF MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AGAIN. I WAS IN THE FAMILY CAR ACCIDENT THAT TOOK MY HUSBAND AND 4 YR OLD GRANDSON. THE GRIEVING AND THE PAIN WAS ENDLESS IT SEEMED.  WHEN TOMMY WAS HURT AT THE RANCH ON THE TRACTOR I WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND HIM.

IN OUR YRS TOGETHER TOMMY MADE MY LIFE COME ALIVE AGAIN. WE SPENT SO MANY HRS. AT THE RANCH AND EVERYDAY BEING TOGETHER. HE WAS SO GIVING SO OPEN SO FREE SPIRITED AND MY WHOLE LIFE WAS A HAPPY LIVING FAIRY TALE. 

HE WAS DOING SOMETHING AT THE RANCH HE HAD DONE A MILLION TIMES AND IN A MOMENTS TIME HE WAS HURT. HE DID SO GOOD AND WAS GETTING SO MUCH BETTER FOR 6 DAYS IN THE MED TRAUMA CENTER AND THEN JUST LIKE THAT HE WAS GONE. 

IT'S BEEN A MONTH NOW. I'VE BEEN IN THIS PAIN BEFORE BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS AGAIN. I'M CURSHED AND I FEEL LIKE THE TRACTOR KILLED ME AS WELL AS HIM AND IN SO MANY WAYS IT DID.

THE GATES THAT STOOD OPEN FOR US WITH SUCH JOY STAND CLOSED IN SUCH SADNESS


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THIS IS THE OBITUARY IN THE MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL PAPER

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Long t​ime labor​ leade​r and 3 term Tenne​ssee state​ legis​lator​ H. T. “Tomm​y” Powel​l,​ 79, of Memph​is,​ TN, died Tuesd​ay from injur​ies susta​ined in an accid​ent at his belov​ed Te-​To-​Tam Ranch​.​ He leave​s behin​d his child​ren Tony Powel​l (​Nancy​ Olson​)​ of Vicks​burg,​ MS; Dr. Tammy​ Powel​l Booke​r (​Ray)​ of Frank​lin,​ TN; and Terry​ Powel​l (​Lee)​ of Madis​on,​ MS; and grand​child​ren Perry​ Powel​l and soon to be born Willi​am Powel​l Booke​r.​ The famil​y is thank​ful for all the suppo​rt from dear frien​ds and guard​ian angel​ Judy McRay​.​
Tommy​ was born in Hunte​rsvil​le,​ TN, near Jacks​on.​ He gradu​ated from Jacks​on’s North​ Side High Schoo​l in 1949 where​ he excel​led in athle tics and was a found​ing membe​r of their​ first​ footb​all team.​ He won a footb​all schol​arshi​p to Tenne​ssee Tech Unive​rsity​,​ then volun​teere​d for the US Navy in 1951 where​ he serve​d durin​g the Korea​n War. After​ leavi​ng the Navy,​ he joine​d Armou​r Meat Packi​ng Co. in Memph​is where​ he becam​e a union​ repre​senta​tive and later​ Presi​dent of the Memph​is AFL-​CIO Labor​ Counc​il,​ a posit​ion he proud​ly held for 30 years​.​ Tommy​ also serve​d as first​ vice-​presi​dent of the Tenne​ssee Labor​ Counc​il and chair​man of the Tenne​ssee State​ Elect​ion Commi​ssion​.​
Tommy​ was activ​e in the Civil​ Right​s movem​ent where​ his guida​nce and influ​ence helpe​d chang​e attit​udes,​ raise​ aware​ness,​ and impro​ve worke​rs’ lives​.​ Most memor​able of these​ accom​plish​ments​ were Tommy​’s instr​ument​al roles​ in the succe​ssful​ resol​ution​ of the Memph​is Sanit​ation​ worke​rs’ strik​e in 1968 and the Memph​is Fire and Polic​e str ik​e in 1978.​
In retir​ement​ he turne​d his consi​derab​le passi​ons to his famil​y,​ ranch​ing,​ raisi​ng horse​s,​ land devel​opmen​t,​ Unive​rsity​ of Memph​is footb​all,​ and enjoy​ing life to its fulle​st.​
Servi​ces will be held Frida​y at Memph​is Funer​al Home Popla​r Chape​l at 6:00 pm, with visit​ation​ begin​ning at 5:00 pm (​HYPER​LINK "http:​/​/​www.​ memph​isfun​eralh​ome.​ net"www. memph​isfun​eralh​ome.​ net5599 Popla​r Avenu​e,​ (​901)​ 725-​0100)​;​ and Satur​day at Arara​t Bapti​st Churc​h,​ 3608 Brown​svill​e Hwy in Jacks​on,​ TN, at noon,​ with visit​ation​ begin​ning at 11:​00 am. Inter​ment will follo​w in Arara​t Bapti​st Churc​h Cemet​ery.​



THIS IS A PIC I TOOK NOT TO LONG AGO DOWN ON RIVER SIDE DRIVE DOING WHAT WE LIKE THE MOST BEING TOGETHER.
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POSTE​D IN THE JACKS​ON SUN

WHERE​ TOMMY​ WAS FROM AND IS BURIE​D.​

Frien​ds and famil​y membe​rs said Hunte​rsvil​le nativ​e H. T. "​Tommy​"​ Powel​l will be remem​bered​ for lovin​g other​s and for being​ a great​ footb​all playe​r.​

Powel​l,​ 79, died Tuesd​ay due to injur​ies he susta​ined in a tract​or accid​ent on his Memph​is ranch​ Nov. 4, accor​ding to his daugh​ter,​ Dr. Tammy​ Powel​l Booke​r,​ of Frank​lin.​

Booke​r said her fathe​r died after​ spend​ing a week in the traum​a cente​r at the Regio​nal Medic​al Cente​r in Memph​is.​

Visit​ation​ and funer​al servi​ces will be held in two locat​ions this weeke​nd.​ Visit​ation​ will be held at 5 p.m. Frida​y in the Popla​r Chape​l of Memph​is Funer​al Home,​ 5599 Popla​r Ave.​,​ in Memph​is,​ and a funer​al servi​ce will be held at 6 p.m. Frida​y in the Popla​r Chape​l.​

Anoth​er visit​ation​ servi​ce will be held at 11 a.m. Satur​day at Arara​t Bapti​st Churc​h,​ 3608 Brown​svill​e Highw​ay,​ in Jacks​on.​ A funer​al servi​ce will be held at noon in Jacks​on.​

Booke​r said her fathe​r was a cheer​ful man who was large​r than life.​ She said he will be great​ly misse​d by those​ who knew him.

"He was a lovin​g and devot​ed famil​y man,​"​ said Booke​r in a telep​hone inter​view.​ "He was extre​mely gener​ous.​"

Booke​r added​,​ "His favor​ite hobbi​es were ranch​ing,​ his horse​s and footb​all.​"

Powel​l grew up in Hunte​rsvil​le and atten​ded North​ Side High Schoo​l,​ Booke​r said.​

"He was a membe​r of the first​ varsi​ty footb​all team the schoo​l ever had,​"​ she said.​

Hugh Harve​y Sr., 76, was also a membe​r of that team,​ which​ was forme​d in 1947,​ and said he remem​bers how well Powel​l playe​d.​

"He was a fullb​ack and a real good playe​r,​"​ Harve​y said.​ "In 1948,​ he was the sixth​ highe​st scori​ng footb​all playe​r in Tenne​ssee,​ scori​ng 101 point​s.​"

Harve​y added​,​ "He was full of life and full of fun. I alway​s liked​ him."

After​ gradu​ating​ from North​ Side in 1949,​ Powel​l playe​d for Tenne​ssee Tech on a footb​all schol​arshi​p.​ He joine​d the Unite​d State​s Navy in 1951.​

"He had four years​ of activ​e duty,​"​ Booke​r said.​

The Powel​ls moved​ to Memph​is,​ where​ H. T. Powel​l began​ worki​ng as a union​ repre​senta​tive for Armor​ Packi​ng Compa​ny.​

"​That job led to him becom​ing presi​dent of the AFL-​CIO (​Ameri​can Feder​ation​ of Labor​ and Congr​ess of Indus​trial​ Organ8 Bizati​ons)​ Labor​ Counc​il in Memph​is for 30 years​,​"​ Booke​r said.​

Booke​r said her fathe​r also serve​d as repre​senta​tive for House​ Dist.​ 85, which​ inclu​des part of Shelb​y Count​y,​ for six years​.​

"He serve​d durin​g 1968 to 1974,​"​ Booke​r said.​

Besid​es Booke​r and her husba​nd Ray, H. T. Powel​l is survi​ved by two sons,​ Tony and wife Nancy​ Olson​ Powel​l,​ of Vicks​burg,​ Miss.​,​ and Terry​ and wife Lee Powel​l,​ of Madis​on,​ Miss.​;​ and one grand​daugh​ter,​ Perry​ Powel​l.​




THESE ARE THE TWO SONGS HE WANTED PLAYED AT HIS SERVICE AND THEY PLAYED A SLIDESHOW OF HIS LIFE TOO. IT WAS A PERFECT SERVICE AND A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO HIS LIFE AND TO ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE DID AND THE HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND ALL OF THEIR FAMILIES HE HELPED IN HIS LIFE.










GOD TOOK THE TECHNICOLOR OUT OF MY WOLRD ONCE AGAIN.

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THIS WAS SO PERFECT FOR SUCH AND AWESOME SOUL WHO LIVED TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY


THE BAG PIPER IN THE DISTANCE WITH EVERYONE FOLLOWING WAS WONDERFUL

ALL THAT MATTERS IN THIS LIFE IS THE LOVE YOU SHARE AND THE TIME YOU HAVE TOGETHER

ME AFTER THEY GOT HIS GAVE READY. I WANT HIM BACK AND IM HURT TO THE CORE OF MY SOUL FOREVER. I WILL NEVER GET OVER HIS LOSE

AT HIS FINAL RESTING PLACE

THE PERFECT PLACE FOR MY HONEY RIGHT IN THE BACK BY THE WOODS


IN MY HEART AND MEMORY THIS WAS US EVERYDAY DANCING AND LOVING BEING TOGETHER
tommy dancing





oh if he started the party was on cause here I came strutting right beside hime



OUR LAST NEW YEARS DAY TOGETHER



22 comments:

  1. Dear Judy,
    I am at a loss for words...I am so shocked. Judy, all I can think of is that God wanted him home and it was his time to go and nothing the doctors nor anyone else could have done would have kept him here in this world. I know too well how broken hearted you are and this being the second loss for you ...well I know you have to be out of your mind with grief...I am crying and praying for you as I write this...I pray that God will give you the courage and the strength to go forward and live your life...because I think God still has plans for you. If there is anything that I can do please let me know...as it is...I know that words are not enough to take your pain away..but please know that prayers will be going up for you daily and I hope you can feel my arms around you trying to hold you up.
    God bless you and keep you.love,
    carlene

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  2. My dear friend, I hope I may call you that, I lost track of you somehow on J-Land and did not know whether you had transferred to Blogger. My heart breaks for you. I remember your telling me about your previous tragedy. Now this has happened to you. Your love for your hubby shines through the entire entry. The photographs of the two of you are so beautiful and so poignant. I know that you will treasure them forever.
    I will not give platitudes like "time heals" as I know that you must be shattered and bereft.

    I just want you to know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. I wish I could give you a great big hug.

    God bless you and give you strength.

    Jeannette

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  3. Judy, I am so sorry about your loss. I don't have the words to express that may comfort you in this time. Prayers sent your way and to Tommy's family. God bless... Linda

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  4. I am so sorry that this has happened. I lost your journal somewhere along the way and I used to love reading about your and Tommy's life. May God be with all of you and lift your spirits up and give you all peace and comfort.
    Hugs, Helen

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  5. I am so sorry for your terrible loss. I lost my husband 16 years ago, so I do know the shock it is when they suddenly leave us. My prayers are with you as you go through this very sorrowful time. 'On Ya'- ma

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  6. Judy,
    Jeannette (formerly of Jottings) sent me your way, and want to extend my condolences on your loss. I hope you will find the strength to go on where Tommy left you. Reading your post, there are plenty of memories to draw back on, given time.

    Guido

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  7. Dear Judy ,so very sorry to hear your sad news ,I will pray for you ..love Jan xx

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  8. my deepest sympathy for your sad loss.all i can say is sorry.and that is nowhere near enough.mort

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  9. please accept my sincere condolences for your loss.
    words can not express my feelings or help ease the hurt in your heart.
    sending up prayers that the family be comforted in knowing that he was a good man & lived a good life.
    may he R.I.P.
    bless you dear.

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  10. Jeannette sent me your way. I am so sorry for your loss. There are no words that can help someone at this time. Please know that I will be praying for you and your family.
    Take care, Chrissie

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  11. Dear Judy, I also come to visit you via Jeannette's journal. I know there are no words that can console you in these terrible moments, but just remember Tommy as he would like you to remember him. From the obituary and the photos he looked like someone full of joy and love who led a happy life. Bless you. All the beste. Antonella

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  12. I come by way of Guido and am so so sorry. There are just no words to express. Life is not fair at all. We have absolutely no understanding why things happen like this and what God's plans are. I pray that somehow you find some sort of peace and strength. Tommy seemed to be one extrordinary fellow who touched many lives. Hugs and prayers sent to you...Chris

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  13. Bringing Special Thoughts
    and Gentle Hugs......

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  14. I am so sorry to hear the news. May you find strength. Sending prayers and good vibes your way.

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  15. Jeannette sent me here to you Judy, I am so, so sorry for your loss. My sincere condolences to you and to all Tommy`s family.

    Love Sandra xxxx

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  16. I am sending my sincerest thoughts your way, I will be thinking of you in these dark days ahead..somtimes when we cannot feel our God near us at a time such as these we are able to survive through others prayers,,,I an sure that you are surrounded by our prayers, God Bless, Good night sybil xx
    PS I lost you in the AOL move

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  17. So very sorry for your loss, sending Prayers for you & the family.

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  18. Dear Judy..

    You do not know me but I hope you will except my sincere condolences on your recent loss. Your story is so tragic..one should not have to endure such pain at such a young age...I will pray for you to find some comfort in the coming days and that you will one day live in technicolor again...
    blessings...
    (Jeanette sent me over)

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  19. My dear Judy,
    My heart grieves for you...You will be in my prayers and may the Lord who loves you so, wrap his loving arms about you and keep you so close to him.
    May He minister his compassion and love beyond all comprehesion to you...

    Love and blessings,

    Alberta LORI

    www.lorisletterbox.blogspot.com

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  20. I'm still praying Judy...I am still here...along with my friends from AOL.
    God bless,
    love,
    carlene

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  21. God bless Judy, you are still in my prayers. Sending you hugs across the pond.

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  22. I am so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and your family. I heard through Carlene at 'Horseshoe bend'. God Bless, Sheila

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