Harold Powell

Funeral Services at First Baptist Church, Temple, Monday, September 25, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., Rev. Kevin Simpson officiating with burial in the Temple Cemetery under the direction of Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Temple. Memorial Donations can be made to the Temple Museum Association, P.O. Box 234, Temple, OK 73568.

Viewing at Hart-Wyatt in Temple from 1:00-8:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Harold Wayne Powell was born January 31, 1934, to Ruby Elva Kennedy and Joseph Shular Powell in Temple, Oklahoma. He passed away September 21, 2023, at Temple Manor. He was 89. 

Harold loved to sing, whether he knew the words or not. He also loved to dance, tell jokes, and document daily life and events through photos, audio and videotape, and writing. And to young and old in Temple, he was Santa Claus. For many years, he played Santa for children in the schools, at First United Methodist Church, and for residents and visitors at Temple Manor.

Harold attended Temple School for his entire elementary and high school, except for third grade when he went to Frederick, Oklahoma, and California. He played every sport available at Temple, and upon graduation in 1952 received a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. He played for Coach Bud Wilkinson during OU’s long winning streak. 

In 1953, at the beginning of his sophomore year, he married a Temple girl, Lois Rae Lewis. They lived in Norman until he graduated from OU in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Education and an Army Commission as a Second Lieutenant. He spent 22 years in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corp., with tours of duty in Fort Sam Houston, Texas; West Germany; Fort Douglas, Utah; Fort Riley, Kansas; Vietnam (1968-1969); Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii; and Mesquite, Texas.

In 1967, Harold earned a Master’s Degree in Hospital Administration at Baylor University. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army in 1978, and upon retiring followed his dream to farm in Cotton County for over 30 years.

Harold was unstoppable in coming up with big ideas and making them happen. In addition to grazing cattle, Harold cultivated a garden, raised racehorses, renovated the Carothers 1906 house in Temple, and served as president of the Temple Alumni Association. He also wrote a weekly column in The Walters Herald and in 2007, gained the support of nine other investors to revive the local Temple Tribune newspaper. He purchased a century old blacksmith shop in Temple, which he envisioned as a museum to highlight Temple history. He established the Temple Museum Association in 1999 and opened the Temple History Museum in March 2011 with his wife Lois.

Harold and Lois enjoyed traveling on their own and with a group of Oklahomans on tours to China, Australia, Russia, Italy, England, Canada, Aruba, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and Hawaii.

Harold is survived by his wife Lois; three children Brenda Chuleewah, Beth Casteel, and Joseph Powell; four grandchildren Conjotee Chuleewah, Ethan Lewis Casteel, R. Quinn Casteel, and Cole Powell Casteel; and two great grandchildren Lincoln and Tatum Casteel.