Jack Powley

Jack R. Powley, late of Yutan, Nebraska, and Fruita, Colorado, passed away on February 20, 2025, at St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colorado. Jack passed away peacefully in the ICU, surrounded by his loving family members.

Jack was born on December 4, 1934, in Woodbine, Iowa. He attended a country school and later graduated from Woodbine High School in Woodbine, Iowa. Jack began his career as a lineman for the North Western Bell Telephone Company and worked there until his retirement. Jack had a goal: he wanted to enjoy as many years in retirement as he had spent working. He came very close to achieving this goal. In 1958, during his tenure at the telephone company, Jack was drafted into the army. He served in Lawton, Oklahoma, at Fort Sill from 1958 until 1960. His family joined him in this move. After fulfilling his military service, he returned to the telephone company in 1960. Over the years, the company changed names several times, but Jack remained. Jack worked his way up in the company, and he ultimately retired from the engineering department. Jack married his wife, Twilla Hammond, on January 20th, 1958. In their union, they were blessed with four children: Richard, Tammy, David, and Christopher. Jack celebrated numerous important occasions with his family and friends throughout his life. A devoted husband and father, Jack was known as a supportive and loving man. Many knew him as a great friend who was always ready to lend a helping hand. Over the years, he developed many talents, which included fixing electronic devices (particularly TVs and radios), woodworking, remodeling homes, and more. Jack lived in a house he had remodeled himself on 304 Vine St. in Yutan and was always ready to assist his neighbors with his handy skills. Jack had a “need to be needed”, which fostered a cycle of generosity. Jack was a strong-willed, kind, and generous person. His hard work enabled his family to embark on numerous summer vacations, creating cherished memories. These trips included visits to family in Texas and Colorado, camping trips in South Dakota's Black Hills and Wyoming's Yellowstone Park, and fishing trips at Hogland's Resort in Minnesota. Jack loved being a husband, father, and grandfather. These roles were some of his Made with greatest accomplishments. Jack was a regular attendee at his children's and grandchildren's sporting events. One could hear his comments from the stands, "You got this!" or "Good job!".

In his youth, Jack was obsessed with all things HAM radio; he even built his own “tower” for his HAM radio antennas. Jack's home was filled with his inventions. He made an electronic tic-tac-toe game and a "remote control" for the family’s black and white basement TV that had wires from the TV to the couch. He even provided the kids with their first Pong game. Many rooms in the Powley house had TVs in them, and later on, there was a computer in no less than 4 rooms in his home. Jack built a "trap" for his kids to shoot his 22 rifle out through the basement door to the trap he set up in the garage, much to Twilla’s aghast. He even built a Go-Cart using lawn mower parts and welded the frame. His family’s home had the only laundry chute in the neighborhood, which (unknown to him) doubled as a "spaceship" for his kids and some of their friends. He taught his children how to design, recycle things if possible to use for materials, and then build those things – a lesson that taught them the value of hard and thoughtful work. The talents Jack possessed and mastered throughout his life were so numerous. If he didn't know how to do something, he worked hard to figure it out. Jack didn't know the words, "I can't". His motto was "I think I can".

Over the years, Jack's hobbies evolved into building and fixing computers. He took pleasure in having coffee every morning with friends; first at Jeris's Cafe, and then when she closed her restaurant, over at the Rooster, checking in on the HAM networks each morning. He spent his days playing solitaire on the computer, taking walks so he could visit friends and acquaintances, putting away others' trash bins, and tinkering on all kinds of things in his garage. He built an "elevator" system to put things in the rafters and on top of the shop section of his garage. It was quite a system to behold. He helped so many people move their belongings to many different places and states throughout his life. When his Granddaughter took a job in Grand Junction, Colorado, in August of 2024, he went with her, and he was there until he passed away.

Jack is survived by his sons, Richard and Christopher (Angela) Powley; his daughter, Tammy Trost (Terry); his 12 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren; and his sisters-in-law, Jo and Sue Powley. Additionally, Jack is survived by his many nieces, nephews, and friends. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Ethel Powley; his wife, Twilla Powley; his son, David Powley; and his brothers, Robert and William Powley.

A Celebration of Life for Jack is scheduled for July 1, 2025, at the Yutan Veterans Country Club located at 1581 Yutan Rd, Yutan, NE 68073. Additional details will be provided at a later date. Following the celebration, an interment will take place at the Hollst Lawn Cemetery, also located in Yutan, Nebraska.