William C. "Bill" Powell, age 83 of Clinton, Missouri passed away Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at the Missouri Veteran's Home, Warrensburg, Missouri. Funeral services will be Monday, October 16, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Clinton at 11 :00 A.M. Family will receive friends one hour before the service on Monday at the church. Graveside services will be 4:00 P.M. Monday at the Oakland Cemetery, Moberly, Missouri. Family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer's Association or the Crossroads Hospice of Kansas City, Missouri and may be left at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton.

Bill was born in Rich Hill, Missouri, the son of Clarence and Kathleen Copeland Powell. He served in the U. S. Air Force in World War II, serving in England, France, Belgium and Germany. He worked for Peabody Coal Company for 45 years working in the Engineering and Land Departments. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Clinton and a member of Ducks Unlimited. He was an avid sportsman. In 1962, Bill was appointed a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky, Bert Combs.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Edda; two daughters, Cathy Sears and husband, Jim of Moberly, Missouri and Donna Powell of Dallas, Texas and two grandchildren, Keli Anne Sears of Olathe, Kansas and David Powell Sears of Warrensburg, Missouri.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Missouri Veterans Home for their care of Bill for the last three years and also would like to thank Crossroads Hospice for Bill's care in the last few weeks of his life.