Jon C. Powell

Jon was born November 23rd 1954 in Santa Cruz California to Bill and Dorothy Powell. He often shared fond memories of his idyllic childhood in the countryside of Monterey, California with his siblings: Brother Bill, Pam, and Jim.  He especially enjoyed their swimming pool, the horses in the barn, and a freezer full of unlimited nutty buddies for all of their friends. He cultivated a green thumb at just seven years old, spending hours joyfully working away in his beloved garden. In high school, he volunteered to help other 4-H students in the area prepare their steers for the fair and spent hot summers working hard in the lettuce fields and hauling hay. 

Jon played water polo at Hartnell Community College and graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in business with an emphasis in Human Resources.  Jon moved from California to Idaho in his early twenties where he started his lifelong career as a real estate broker.  He developed subdivisions, flipped houses, and mastered property management.  He met Patty, the love of his life, on a blind date in the fall of 1991.  They were married at the Bishop’s House in Boise six months later on April 24th, 1992.  Together, Jon and Patty were the perfect combination of dreamer, doer, and an ambitious we-can-do-it attitude.  They bought their little slice of paradise in Cascade, Idaho in the late 90s and spent many of their weekends improving the property working towards their dream cabin.  They planned to celebrate their first Christmas in the cabin this winter.

In 2000, they picked up their life in Boise and started their next adventure of having a tree farm in Emmett.  He wore two hats - his big Tilly hat to keep the sun off him while he worked at the farm and his stay at home dad hat, the latter being his favorite hat ever.  Jon was an incredible father and made sure to support Audrey and Ava in every way possible including coaching them at their swim meets, dance competitions, and pageants.  Whatever the girls did, be it horseback riding, karate, showing chickens, singing, playing instruments… he was always just as excited about it as they were.  You couldn’t find anyone more proud of his girls - he loved to share with everyone just how great they are.  His legacy lives on in his girls through Audrey’s love of plants and real estate and Ava’s love for animals as she pursues a career as a veterinarian.

A lifelong learner, Jon spent his 70 years becoming a walking encyclopedia.  Some of his adventures included team roping in rodeos, running a dog sled team, racing homing pigeons, becoming a ski bum in Utah, raising swans, taming Amazonian macaws, buying land and planting a tree farm, cherishing a matching pair of shire draft horses, breeding aquarium fish, and raising goats, pigs, chickens, koi fish, and several litters of dogs.  He recently joined the tree committee for his subdivision in Eagle, Idaho and earned his Idaho trapping license so he could rid the subdivision of beavers.  He also just surpassed his 40th anniversary selling real estate in Idaho and was thrilled to no longer have to pay annual dues.

He died quickly and unexpectedly on February 14th from an aortic aneurysm with Patty by his side.  We will miss his dedication to making the perfect waffles for family get togethers, his unbeatable advice, and the way he helped us slow down to appreciate the nature before us.  Although we are heartbroken by his sudden passing, we can’t help but realize how blessed we are to have Jon in our lives for as long as we did.  He was friendly to everyone, quick witted, generous, joyful, and filled with gratitude. His legacy is marked by kindness and integrity.  We look forward to seeing him again, but for now, we find peace knowing he is with Jesus.

He was a good man. 

He is preceded in death by his infant daughter Savannah and his parents, Bill and Dorothy Powell.  He is survived by his wife, Patty, his two daughters Audrey (27) and Ava (24), his brother Bill (Yuki) Powell, sister Pam (Robin) Powell, brother Jim, father-in-law and mother-in-law Walt and Josephine Nebeker, brother-in-law Dan Nebeker, sister-in-law Terry (Tim) McCullough, sister-in-law Gerilynn (Clint) Sharp, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

A celebration of life will be held at La Costa restaurant in Emmett (Jon’s favorite) on Friday, February 21st at 6 pm with dinner following.  In lieu of flowers, we plan to plant a tree in the Emmett City Park.  If you would like to contribute, please contact Connie at Cloverdale Nursery to purchase a gift certificate in Jon Powell’s name at (208) 375-5262.