Willie Thomas Powers, 81, was born in Only, Tennessee, to Oliver and Gracie Powers on March 9, 1944. He graduated from Hickman County High School in 1964 and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Cumberland University. He spent 36 years in the National Guard serving his community and his country, retiring as First Sergeant on May 31, 2002. Willie was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt.

Willie T. Powers enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard on the 30th of August, 1965, at the rank of Private E2 and retired as First Sergeant E8 with 36 years, 8 months, and 1 day of continuous service. He was a member of Company B 473 Support Battalion, Co D 473rd Support Battalion and 779th Maintenance Company for all of Centerville, Tennessee. As he rose through ranks, he was awarded the following Military Occupational Specialists positions: Administrative Specialist and Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor.

Willie married the love of his life, Minnie, in 1967. Together, they shared 58 years of marriage, 3 children, 6 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren. They enjoyed line dancing, watching the grandkids play sports, and going to Homestead after church on Sundays. He rarely missed an event that involved his family. He made sure everyone knew how wonderful of a woman he married.

Willie gave his all to his three kids, Rhonda, Brian, and Darla. He even drove their school bus and pulled it on the side of the road many times to pull his switch out of the window. He took on the role of Jr. Pro coach and even teacher when it came time for them to learn how to drive a stick shift, even though they didn’t make it very far down the road. As kids, they enjoyed watching WWE wrestling after church on Sundays. He loved going hunting with Brian during deer and turkey season. One of their favorite memories is when he was trying to carry all three of them on his back, dropping Darla along the way, and broke his toe.

Out of all of his accomplishments in life, Willie took the most pride in being “PawPaw” to his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Pawpaw’s perfect day would likely include working in his building with Hunter boy, cutting twigs with Alby, a night of line dancing with Bri Bri, Addie girl, and SB, grabbing a milk shake at Sonic with Eli, and getting lots of hugs and kisses from the great grand-babies.

Some of their favorite memories are:

• Hunter loved getting to work every summer together while school was out.
• Alec loved getting to cut twigs together anytime he had a break from school, even sometimes going in some questionable places to get them.
• Addie used to sit on the porch with pawpaw and watch the school busses drive by. One day, a bus driver didn’t wave back and it made her cry. Pawpaw decided that was unacceptable and drove to the bus garage to let them know it hurt his grandbaby’s feelings and they needed to wave back.
• Sara Beth loved getting to bring Millie and Annie during the summer and watching him get to play with them every day.
• Brianna laughs every time she thinks about all of the comments he made sure to make anytime she showed up to their house wearing jeans with holes in them.
• Eli will thoroughly miss his Sunday and Wednesday church services with MawMaw & PawPaw.
• All of the granddaughters loved getting to dance at The Stables with their PawPaw and hope he’s already found a dance floor in Heaven.

Not many grandparents get the opportunity to meet their great grandchildren, much less SIX. Willie got to enjoy time with Everleigh, Millie, Oakley, Huntley, Annie, and Presley. He loved each of them endlessly and they could do no wrong in his eyes.

Willie Thomas Powers is preceded in death by: His parents, Oliver and Gracie Powers; Brothers, John Edwards Powers, James Powers, and Roy Powers; Sisters, Mary Ann Powers, Maxie Lance, Shirley Garton, Daisy Beard, Brenda Smith, Louise Powers, and Janet King.

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Minnie Jayne Powers. His three children Rhonda Powers, Brian Powers, and Darla “Shorty” (Tommy) McClanahan. Seven grandchildren, Hunter (Makayla) Powers, Alec (Mallory) Dorton, Brianna Tanner, Addison (Lane Roberts) Dorton, Sara Beth McClanahan, and Eli Powers; six great grandchildren, Everleigh Powers, Millie Faye Dorton, Oakley Littleton, Huntley Powers, Annie Jane Dorton, and Presley Powers; Sisters, Hattie Mayberry and Lois Lindsey; and Brother, Jerry Powers. As well as a host of many other friends, family members, and former members of the Company B 473 Support Battalion.

The family wants to issue a special note of gratitude to the nursing staff at Ascension Saint Thomas Hickman Hospital, Hickman EMS, Dr. Fahad Mirza, Samantha Claud, Jason Craft, Randy Powers, Ryan McDonald and the entire staff at McDonald Funeral Home. 

Visitation with the family will be 2 Nov 2025 from 4:00 – 8:00 PM and  3 Nov 2025 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM at McDonald Funeral Home – Hickman County.  Funeral Services will be 3 Nov 2025 at 1:00 PM at McDonald Funeral Home – Hickman County with burial to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery, Centerville, TN.