Obituary of Luther Cabel Powell

Luther C. Powell III, well respected, retired process engineer who designed petroleum refineries for nearly 40 years, died on June 8, 2011; he was 76. Luther died peacefully, surrounded by family, at his home in Media, Pennsylvania, after succumbing to the effects of Parkinson's disease. Luther began his 35-year career with the Philadelphia based Sun Oil Co. in 1957. This career first took him and his family to San Francisco, California, and then to Alberta, Canada, where he engineered processes to extract synthetic crude oil from Athabasca Tar Sands. Upon returning to the States, Luther joined Sun's Central Engineering Department in Philadelphia and continued process design work on various refineries including those in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Sarnia, Ontario and Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. After retiring from Sun Oil in 1991, Luther continued as a consultant for a number of engineering firms. Luther's friends and former co-workers have remarked that with a changing company, in a changing industry, and a changing profession, he was exceedingly able to adapt and apply the tools and technologies that these changes brought. In the 1950s and 1960s engineering calculations were done by hand, performed on slide rules, and checked on mechanical adding machines. During the 1970s and into the 1990s, Luther excelled as main frame computers, hand held calculators, and PCs were introduced into his field. Luther took a military leave of absence from Sun Oil from 1957 to 1960, during which he served as a Captain in the United States Air Force at Biggs Air Force Base near El Pasco, Texas. It was there that he met the love of his life, Nelva Lou Ford, and they were married in 1960. As a member of the Media Presbyterian Church in Media, PA, Luther was active in the Junior High Youth Fellowship and co-authored the publication "150 Years of Worship-A Historical Perspective and Memory Book." This love of history also lead him to volunteer at the Tyler Arboretum, in Media, PA, where he guided tours of the Painter Library. Luther was born November 7, 1934, in Greenville, NC. He was the oldest of Luther C. Powell, Jr., and Elaine Little Pierce Powell's four sons. His parents and two of his brothers, Thomas Jefferson and Charles Edward, are deceased. A member of Greenville High School's 1953 graduating class, Luther attended North Carolina State University and graduated as a Chemical Engineer in 1957 SURVIVORS Wife of 51 years: Nelva Lou Powell , Son: Martin Powell of Long Beach, CA Daughter: Donna (Steve) Sottung of West Grove, PA Grandchildren: Katherine and Nathaniel Sottung. Brother: Jesse William Powell of Wilson, NC Luther's family invites you to attend his memorial service. Contributions in lieu of flowers to Media Presbyterian Church Missions, 30 E. Baltimore Ave., Media,PA 19063 and/or Crozer Keystone Hospice, 5030 State Rd., Suite 3001, Drexel Hill, PA 19026