Helen Lorene O'Neal Powell

Helen Lorene O'Neal Powell went home to celebrate new life with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. She is predeceased by her husband, Thomas Pershing Powell, her daughters, Lillian Jeanette McClellan and Linda Marie Holmes, granddaughter, Katherine Lorene Howell, and great-grandchild, Thomas Weldon Powell.

Born on March 27, 1922 to the late James Isaac and Dolar Lou Emma White O'Neal in Standing Rock, Alabama, she was raised in Langdale, Alabama as the fifth of nine children. Helen and Thomas were married on October 22, 1938. After his Navy service in Norfolk, Virginia during World War II, they returned to Georgia, where Helen devoted her life to the service of her Lord, her family, and her church.

She influenced many lives through Methodist Youth Fellowship, Sunday School, choir, Wednesday night dinners, ceramics, and other church ministries at Sherwood UMC in Columbus, Georgia. Thomas and Helen also served as directors of the Anne Elizabeth Shepherd Home for youth in Columbus. After Thomas' death in 1995, she eventually moved to Tifton, Georgia, where she served joyfully at Grace UMC. In 2007, Helen moved to Warner Robins, Georgia and continued to worship as a member of Central Baptist Church. She loved sharing Christ. Even in the hospital, she would ask staff if they knew Jesus. Helen loved to cook, embroider, go camping, and, especially, to fish!

She is survived by her sister, Allene O'Neal Thompson; her son, Thomas Mansfield Powell (Marsha); grandchildren, John Gregory (Teresa), Mary Helen, William Alexander, IV (Christine), and Matthew Thomas McClellan; Tammy Marie Windsor and Roy Lee Holmes, Jr. (Alison); Thomas Delano Powell (Leilani), Christina Marie Helmig (Jason), and Steven Charles Gordon (Crystal). Her great-grandchildren include, Rebecca, Hannah, Rachel, and Lydia McClellan; Ryan and Cheyenne McClellan; Andrew, Caleb, and Ethan McClellan; Dustin, Trevor, Lacey, and Spencer Holmes; Cora, Carly, Jase, and Jaxon Helmig; Alexander and Bryan Gordon.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11th at McCullough Funeral Home in Warner Robins. The funeral will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 12th at Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins, with interment following at 2:00 p.m. at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Central Baptist Church, 1120 Lake Joy Rd., Warner Robins, GA or the Anne Elizabeth Shepherd Home-Twin Cedars, P.O. Box 1526, LaGrange, GA 30241.


Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088