Jonathan's father was our paster at First Congrational Church in Oak Park on Lake street when I was in high school. Most people don't remember that he was almost totally blind. I remember helping him thru the food line at O.P.R.F. high lunch time because he couldn't see where to go or what to get for lunch. He was really a sweet human being. Sorry I could not do more for him.
During my grade school years I attended the First Congregational Church on Lake Street and was a friend of Jonathan Powell. Also knew his father/pastor. They were both great people. I remember to this day the OPRF daily attendance sheet stating that Jonathan was deceased. It truly hurt!
What I remember most about Jonathan is how well he seemed to accept his impairments. He sat next to me in French class (I think it was French class - it's been more than 50 years ago). At any rate, the day after he died, the seat next to me was vacant and I felt both grief and helplessness. Jonathan was a nice, decent guy, and that's not a bad legacy to leave.
I went to grade school with Jonathan and I always remember what a great sense of humor he had. I don't remember him ever asking for help or using his disabilities to not do something. He lived as normal a life as possible and did it well.
For those of you who didn't know it, Jonathan Powell had a life prior to Oak Park.
Those of us who knew him in his very early years called him Joe or Joey - never Jonathan.
Joe lived on Laconia Road in Worcester, Massachusetts and he and I were best friends from as far back as I can remember (probably 1948 or '49), through school at Nelson Place grammar school, up until the church transferred his father to Oak Park.
I remember thinking about Joe when Sputnik was launched on Joe's birthday, October 4, 1957, and I remember feeling sad when I learned that Joe had died during his last year in high school.
Joe always had poor health. He also had poor eyesight and I remember his older brother, Dave, advising me not to take Joe along on one of my citywide bicycle rides since he couldn't see well enough to ride on busy city streets.
Thank you for letting me share. After all these years, I still miss him.
Richard Peters
Jonathan's father was our paster at First Congrational Church in Oak Park on Lake street when I was in high school. Most people don't remember that he was almost totally blind. I remember helping him thru the food line at O.P.R.F. high lunch time because he couldn't see where to go or what to get for lunch. He was really a sweet human being. Sorry I could not do more for him.
Larry Peterson
During my grade school years I attended the First Congregational Church on Lake Street and was a friend of Jonathan Powell. Also knew his father/pastor. They were both great people. I remember to this day the OPRF daily attendance sheet stating that Jonathan was deceased. It truly hurt!
Barbara Seyfried
Hi Larry - thank u for the note about Jonathan. Your neighbor barb seyfrie
John Skipper
What I remember most about Jonathan is how well he seemed to accept his impairments. He sat next to me in French class (I think it was French class - it's been more than 50 years ago). At any rate, the day after he died, the seat next to me was vacant and I felt both grief and helplessness. Jonathan was a nice, decent guy, and that's not a bad legacy to leave.
Judy McMahon (Almquist)
I went to grade school with Jonathan and I always remember what a great sense of humor he had. I don't remember him ever asking for help or using his disabilities to not do something. He lived as normal a life as possible and did it well.
James Heitsch
The following comment is from a childhood friend.
For those of you who didn't know it, Jonathan Powell had a life prior to Oak Park.
Those of us who knew him in his very early years called him Joe or Joey - never Jonathan.
Joe lived on Laconia Road in Worcester, Massachusetts and he and I were best friends from as far back as I can remember (probably 1948 or '49), through school at Nelson Place grammar school, up until the church transferred his father to Oak Park.
I remember thinking about Joe when Sputnik was launched on Joe's birthday, October 4, 1957, and I remember feeling sad when I learned that Joe had died during his last year in high school.
Joe always had poor health. He also had poor eyesight and I remember his older brother, Dave, advising me not to take Joe along on one of my citywide bicycle rides since he couldn't see well enough to ride on busy city streets.
Thank you for letting me share. After all these years, I still miss him.
Lou LeTourneau, Caledonia, Michigan