705 W. Warren Street | (812) 849-2600 |

Barry Dale PowellPassing: December 26, 2023

Service:

Chastain Funeral Home

Funeral Service

Saturday, December 30th @ 1:00pm

Visitation:

Chastain Funeral Home

Saturday, December 30th @ 11:00am-1:00pm

Cemetery:

Talbott Cemetery

Saturday, December 30th

Barry D. Powell, 72, of Mitchell, passed away on December 26, 2023 at his home with his family.

Born July 24, 1951, in Bedford, he was the son of George Robert “Bob” and Imogene Ruth (Barlow) Powell. He married Judith Ann Vaught on October 3, 1970, and she survives.

Barry graduated from Mitchell High School in 1969. After graduation, he attended John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana. Barry was employed for 25 years by Carpenter Body Works painting the lettering, specialty artwork, and school mascots on buses and supervising the paint department. If you passed a Carpenter bus on the road there was an excellent chance that it had been touched by Barry’s hand.

After retirement, Barry taught independent adult art courses, workshops, and courses for the John Waldron Art Center in Bloomington. Barry was a member of the Brown County Art Association and the Lawrence County Art Association. He was the recipient of the Lawrence County Arts Leadership Award in 2008 given by the BAAC, participated and won several awards in The Hoosier Salon, the Indiana Heritage Festival, and the Persimmon Festival. Barry’s art depicted scenes from the American frontier, French and Indian War, and the Revolutionary War, but his true gift was capturing the beauty of people living and working every day, both in colored pencil and in oil.

Barry had a great love of music which he shared with his family, friends, and church family. He played guitar and he built custom hammer and lap dulcimers. In his final days, music still soothed his soul and brought a smile to his face.

Surviving are his wife, Judith Ann Powell of Mitchell; children, B.J. (Bobbi Jo) Powell of Bedford and Alicia Claffey of Mitchell; grandchildren, Audrey Powell, Maddie Powell, and Cody Powell; great-granddaughter, Coda Jackson; and siblings, David Powell of Mitchell, Darryl (Molly) Powell of Mitchell, and Mike (Deb) Powell of Salem.

His parents preceded him in death.

Funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 30, in the Memorial Chapel of Chastain Funeral Home & Cremation Center with David Powell officiating. Burial will be at Talbott Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until the service on Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial Gifts: Lawrence County Art Association

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32 Guest Comments

  1. Guest: Chris McCart | Orleans, Indiana
    Date: February 7, 2024
    The best slide guitar player I've ever known, bar-none. A terrific artist ! I'm sorry for your loss. I just now heard about this. I'm sorry.
  2. Guest: Beth Pattison | New Smyrna Beach, FL
    Date: January 3, 2024
    My sincere condolences to the Powell family. I hope you can find comfort in knowing Barry was loved and respected by so many.
  3. Guest: Diana Gresham Boyd | Millersburg, Ohio
    Date: December 31, 2023
    Judy, I am so sorry to find out that Barry passed. Please except my condolences to you and your family….Prayers and hugs to you all….Diana Gresham Boyd
  4. Guest: Linda A Conley | MITCHELL
    Date: December 30, 2023
    B.J. and family , So sorry to hear about your Dad . You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Linda Conley
  5. Guest: Cindy Miller | Mitchell Indiana
    Date: December 30, 2023
    Judy and family, I was saddened to hear of Barry’s passing. He was such a great guy and his artistic talent was amazing. I will be praying for you and your family during this difficult time.
  6. Guest: Susie Batchelor Leatherman | Mitchell, IN
    Date: December 30, 2023
    Judy and family: Barry was a friend and classmate at MHS. He was very talented in art and music. May God provide strength and comfort to you and the Powell family. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. RIP my friend.
  7. Guest: Donnie and Dawn Vaught | Lupton, Michigan
    Date: December 29, 2023
    Remembering the times that we played pinball at Mom's truck stop and painting signs at Springmill Park with Barry. Miss you Buddy...we'll take care of our Judy. Love ya.
  8. Guest: Jim and SusanVogel | Thornton, CO
    Date: December 29, 2023
    So sorry for your loss. Barry was so talented and admired by so many. May the memories you shared give you peace during the days ahead. May God give you comfort and praying for your strength.
  9. Guest: Max Timbrook | Mitchell, Indiana
    Date: December 29, 2023
    Doesn’t seem all that long ago that young Barry Powell began to share his talent via freehand lettering on Carpenter buses… aligning his name alongside older talents, Russell Daugherty and Eugene Pruett. Those days long gone but not forgotten. Thank you Barry for sharing your gift with so much of the world.
  10. Guest: Phil Powell | Greenwood, IN
    Date: December 29, 2023
    So sad to hear of the passing of cousin Barry. Many, many fond memories of our childhood and our time as classmates at Mitchell. Barry was a quiet person but spoke loudly with his loving, caring personality and his talents as an artist and musician. He will be missed by many. May God comfort Judy and the family during this time.
  11. Guest: Patty Sanders | Bedford Indiana
    Date: December 29, 2023
    Worked with and for Barry at Carpenter body work sorry to hear about his passing prayers for your family 🙏
  12. Guest: Mike and Rita Ball Ramey | Bedford, IN
    Date: December 28, 2023
    Barriers a great artist, so talented. Praying for you Judy and all your family. Mike n Rita Ramey
  13. Guest: Lisa Buck Tincher | Orleans, IN
    Date: December 28, 2023
    So sorry for your loss. Thankful he shared his talents with everyone. Prayers for all..
  14. Guest: Tim Stroud | Mitchell Indiana
    Date: December 28, 2023
    Mike and the Powell family. So sorry to hear about Barry. He was such a good and talented guy. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
  15. Guest: Brad and Lee Purlee | Bedford, Indiana
    Date: December 28, 2023
    I am just heartbroken to hear of Barry’s passing. I learned so much from him, and he was such a kind, gentle, and talented person. He will be missed. God bless your family as you grieve your loss.
  16. Guest: Shawn Holsapple | Morgantown In
    Date: December 28, 2023
    I’m sorry for your family’s loss. Barry built my first website back in 1994 and I alway loved his art work.
  17. Guest: Randy | Mitchell, IN
    Date: December 28, 2023
    Oh I am so very sorry. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
  18. Guest: Helen Barlow Schmidt | Brooks Alberta Canada
    Date: December 28, 2023
    I remember my cousin ..(Barry’s mother …Imogene Barlow) daughter of my Uncle Joe Barlow…. My father Solomon Barlows brother. May all of Barrys family find comfort and peace in this time of loss. Barry sounds like a an amazing artist who shared his skills in his job at Carpenters as well teaching others. Wishing I could have known him. Sincerely Helen Barlow Schmidt
  19. Guest: Laura Stroud | Bedford, IN
    Date: December 28, 2023
    Barry was so kind and a good friend to my Mom, Beverly Dalton. She no doubt met him with a fresh tin of prismacolor pencils and they’re already working on a new drawing! Thinking of all of his friends and family❤
  20. Guest: Dianna Fleetwood | Bedford
    Date: December 28, 2023
    So sorry to hear of Barry's passing. He graduated with my brother from MHS.
  21. Guest: Charles Johnson | Nixa, Missouri
    Date: December 28, 2023
    Barry will be missed by all. Barry and his parents were neighbors to our family while growing up. My grandfather ( John Russell ) was their neighbors. Barry was well liked in school by all. Prayers going out to his family.
  22. Guest: Jo Crane | Mitchell, In
    Date: December 28, 2023
    So sorry about the Loss of a Love one. Had a lot of fun time with him. Everyone will be in our Prayer.
  23. Guest: Dana Dunbar | Mitchell
    Date: December 28, 2023
    David,, So sorry to learn of Barry's passing. He was a good person and an incredibly talented artist. You have my deepest sympathies. Dana
  24. Guest: Glen and Patricia Stroud | Athens, Ga.
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Cousin Barry, so many memories from our childhood to working together at Jay-C and Spring Mill. Patty always had good stories to tell about her and her sisters staying with your family when you were all kids. May God be with Judy and your family at this difficult time.
  25. Guest: Becky Brumage | Mitchell, IN
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Judy, so sorry to hear of Barry’s passing.
  26. Guest: Larry Moffatt | Mitchell, IN
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Darryl, I’m so sorry to hear about Barry. Our thoughts are with you and your family.
  27. Guest: Brenda Zeeks McBride | Paoli, In
    Date: December 27, 2023
    So sorry to hear about Barry! I will keep you and your family in my prayers! He was a great class mate!
  28. Guest: Cathy ( Johnson) Wilcoxen | Springfield, MO
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Darryl and families, so sorry for the loss of Barry. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Charlie Johnson, Kenny Johnson, Cathy Wilcoxen
  29. Guest: Jan Grissom | Lexington Ky
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Darryl so sorry for your loss. Prayers to you and your family.
  30. Guest: Mary Lagle | Mitchell, IN
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Judy and family, so very sorry, prayers for comfort. Gerry and Pauline Lagle
  31. Guest: Pat Rasnic | Indianapolis, Indiana
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Judy, I am so sorry to read about Barry. We all had some good times when we were younger. Barry was such a talented artist, musician, etc…, and I know he was well-loved! 🙏🏻❤🙏🏻❤🙏🏻
  32. Guest: Cindy Acton Matlock | Bedford, IN
    Date: December 27, 2023
    Barry was a classmate at MHS. Such a friendly, talented man. He will be missed. RIP my friend til we meet again.