Ima Jean Powell (Ralls)
Ima Jean Noland Powell was born June 17, 1936, in Floyd County, Texas, to Thomas Richard Noland and Vivian Opal Spence Noland. She married Arthur Jerrold Powell on August 30, 1960, and passed away on June 25, 2023. Her husband, parents, and brother, Joe Richard Noland, and his wife, Sandra, preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Louis Powell, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Elvin and Ada Lee Evatt.
Ima Jean is survived by her daughter, Jeanie Alford, and husband, Scott Alford, of Littlefield, Texas, and her son, Jimmy Powell, and wife, Pam Powell, of LaGrange. Three grandchildren also survive her; JennyBeth Gardner and husband Kenneth Gardner of Levelland, Texas; Jarrod Alford and wife Brianna Alford of Petoskey, Michigan, and Jaclyn Alford of Lubbock, Texas. Also surviving her are three step-grandchildren; Melissa Flanagan of Austin, Texas, Tara Lowe, and Kaylee Bouley, both of LaGrange, Texas. Her five surviving great-grandchildren; Nathanael, Luke, Charis, Caleb Garner of Levelland and Rosie Alford of Petoskey, Michigan. Surviving step-great-grandchildren include Jack Flanagan, Connor Bouley, Riley Lowe, and Jessica Tippie.
Ima Jean’s education began at the Center Community School at age 5, and she graduated from Floydada High School in 1953. She attended Wayland Baptist College and later graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in secretarial studies with an emphasis on church administration.
Before her marriage, Ima Jean worked as church secretary at First Baptist Church, Floydada, and later as secretary to the Floyd County District Attorney, where she met her husband, Jerrold Powell. She was also named Old Settlers’ Queen of Floydada in 1959.
A lifetime Southern Baptist, she was active in the First Baptist Church of Ralls, where she taught Sunday school, GA’s, and Acteens. For many years, she served as Vacation Bible School director, organized the church library and served as its librarian for almost 50 years. Her interest in the church’s history led her to locate pictures of all the church’s former pastors through personal correspondence and create a display wall in the education building. She also served many years on the church’s historical committee and is responsible for writing much of the church’s history.
As a young wife and mother, she was a homemaker, well-known as a skilled seamstress, a good cook, taking pictures in tole painting, cake decorating, and many types of crafts. During her children’s elementary years, their classmates learned to look forward to receiving personalized, decorated cutout cookies at every Christmas and Valentine’s party. A gracious hostess, she could always be relied upon to entertain visiting preachers and evangelistic teams in her home. She enjoyed the study and quilt clubs that met in the community. She served as a church secretary in the late 1970s and early ’80s and later returned to school to study medical transcription. She served Dr. Robert Johnson as his medical transcriptionist for several years at the Lubbock Diagnostic Clinic. After her retirement, she served as an Auxiliary Volunteer at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock, where she earned the 500-hour service award. Later, she developed an active Bible study ministry, teaching Precept Bible courses for over 15 years.
