- Date Of Birth: June 9, 1925
- Date Of Death: November 4, 2022
- State: Illinois
Luretha Powell was born on June 9, 1925 in Indianola, Mississippi to the union of George and Maggie Jackson. As the youngest child of four, Luretha had one sister Vernella, and two brothers, Jehu and Ezra. All of her siblings preceded her in death.
Luretha accepted Christ as her savior at an early age and joined the St.
She often enjoyed sharing stories about how she had to walk 5 miles to reach the one room school house for all grades.
There, despite their poverty and a school year cut short by sharecropping, everybody learned how to read, write, and do their “figures”. Her beautiful cursive writing and love of reading the daily newspapers expressed her overcoming spirit.
In 1943, Luretha was united in holy matrimony to Tommy Powell. Because her family’s productivity as sharecroppers on Mr. Bingum’s plantation, Luretha was given the owner’s recently married daughter’s wedding gown, groomsmen and bridesmaid’s attire.
Luretha was an exceptional employee who was highly regarded wherever she worked.
Luretha was a phenomenal mother of 8 children, Jessie, Tommy, Arthur, Ernest, Steve, Lawrence, Cherre Reese and Jeffery. Four of her sons, Tommy, Arthur, Lawrence, and Steve and one daughter, Cherre Reese preceded her in death. When Cherre Reese and Lawrence were often hospitalized for their sickle-cell anemia disease she slept countless nights on the hospital chairs and window seats so she could be near them.
In the 1950s when food was often scarce, she would fix her children’s plates and watch them eat. When they asked “where is your plate”, she heart touchingly said “I’m not hungry”.
Luretha, called Lile because of her small stature was a giant of a mother.
All of her children had strong work ethics and life skills because her constant mantra was get out of bed early, be organized, clean up the house, keep a job by working hard and getting to work early, and never spend your last dime and end up broke.
At 8:02 PM November 4, 2022 at the age of 97 years, Luretha went home to be with the Lord. Her last reply to “how are you doing?” was her usual response, “I’m fine so far”.
She leaves to cherish her memory three children, Jessie Butts, Ernest Powell (Alice), and Jeffery Powell; 19 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great, grandchild, and a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, great cousins, and friends.
