Richard "Dick" Powell

Richard “Dick” Powell, 90, of Rushville, passed away at 9:53 pm on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.

He was born on May 18, 1934, the son of the late Gale & Theda (Drain) Powell. Dick married Myrna Gorsuch on June 27, 1952, at the First United Methodist Church of Rushville and she preceded him in death on January 27, 2020.

A 1952 graduate of Rushville High School, Dick first worked at several different jobs in the Schuyler County area, which included; farm hand, feed salesman and auctioneer. In 1963 Dick & Myrna joined Dick & Maxine Connor and began Powell & Conner Auction Service. They shared in this business partnership until Dick retired, with over fifty years of auctioneering service. In 1972 they purchased Schuyler Livestock Sales and later sold it. Later, in 1984, Dick & Myrna built the Hersman Livestock Auction in Brown County. Throughout all of these business endeavors, his wife Myrna was more than a lifelong companion, she was also a business partner. With his passion for the auctioneering service, Dick was selected to compete in the World Auctioneering Competition, held in California in the late 1970’s.

He grew up in and was first a member of the Brooklyn United Methodist Church and later the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church south of Rushville. With his love for coon hunting since childhood, he and some other hunting buddies formed the Schuyler County Coon Hunting Club in the early 1960’s. Dick always seemed to have a top-notch hunting dog. In his later years he trained rabbit dogs for competitions in the tri-state area. At one point he had fifty beagle pups he was training. Dick loved the sound of a dog running through the woods.

Dick is survived by his sons; Rick (Barb Tolle) Powell of Camden & Rex (Kay) Powell of Rushville, his daughter; Mitzi (Mike) Kruse of Rushville, grandchildren; Buffee Powell-Merrick, Rusty Powell, Sacha (Steve) Turner, Shelly (Rich) Eddings, Corey (Kayla Sargent) Kruse, Ryan (Candi) Powell, Tara Powell, Kayla (Carlos) Boudreaux, Megan Powell, Brenna (Jordan) Williams, Ty (Viola Dunn) Powell, Drew Mathewson, Cory Powell, Marcy (Mike Armstrong) Mathewson, Riley Powell & Sara Powell. Great grandchildren; Ridge Merrick, Leah, Heidi, Sophie & Micah Turner, Carley & Cacey Benton, Alexis Eddings, Ashlyn Stice, Maddie & Josie Sargent, Heaton & Canyon Powell, Jacobi Nichols, Kylie, Hunter, Kaycee, Marcus, Gunner & Kayleen Boudreaux and Benjamin, Levi & Joshua Williams & Malaki Clark, sisters; Linda Brown, Ruth Ann Horwedel, Kay McClelland and Cindee (Morris) McClelland and by several nieces and nephews. Dick also leaves his beloved beagle; Pumpkin.

In addition to his wife & parents, Dick was preceded in death by a son; Rodney Powell, a grandson; R. Darren Powell, a granddaughter; Carrie Powell, a brother; Bob Powell, a sister; Jeannine Shanks and by a brother and sister in infancy.

Memorial services honoring Dick’s life will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at the Triplett & Wood Funeral Home of Rushville. Pastor Charla Meyers will preside. Inurnment will follow at the Blackburn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 10:00 am until the time of services at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in memory of Dick are suggested to Sugar Grove Methodist Church or to the Schuyler County FFA. You are invited to share your memories of Dick and leave a condolence at www.triplettwood.com