Johnnie Powell

Johnnie Letrice Powell,  age 77, of Gulfport, Mississippi passed away Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Singing River Hospital in Gulfport, MS.

She was born in Thayer, Missouri, on January 25, 1944, to the late Toliver and Evelyn Sellers, who lived in Hardy, Arkansas, where Johnnie started her beautiful life. When she was a young girl, Johnnie and the family relocated to Alton, Illinois, where she attended Alton High School. She later graduated from Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois, with a nursing degree in 1985. Johnnie then started a career in nursing as a registered nurse that brought her great joy in life. Johnnie loved being a nurse so much that she did it for over 30 years. She retired at 70 years old from the Veteran Administration Hospital as a Psychiatric Nurse. More than being a nurse, Johnnie loved being married to her best friend and husband, Jeff A. Powell.

Jeff and Johnnie just celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary this year. They relocated to Gulfport in the early 90s and made the coast their home. They had a beautiful marriage based upon the Lord in which they always honored and loved each other. Johnnie loved reading and walking with Jeff along the beach in the cool coastal breeze. Johnnie loved planting and tending to her flower gardens, as well as painting pictures of nature. She was an artist in many ways. She had a beautiful singing voice, played piano, and she was a writer, among many other things that she used to express her cheerful personality. Johnnie held her family very close to her heart and was a wonderful nurturing woman who shared love in every aspect of her life.

Johnnie was preceded in death by her father, Toliver Morris Sellers; her mother, Anna Evelyn Groves Sellers; her brother, Toliver Shelby Sellers; her sister, Rosamae Scoggins; a stepson from a previous marriage, Brett Lasswell; a grandson, CPL. Shawn Thomas Lasswell Jr.

She is survived by her husband, Jeff A. Powell; her son, Shawn Thomas Lasswell Sr; her daughter, Mary Louise Chrusciel; her three children from a previous marriage, Yolonda Butcher, Joel E. Lasswell, Terry Lasswell; her surviving siblings, Martha Sellers, Louise James, Margaret Sellers, and Helen Nash; her surviving grandchildren, Kevin Lasswell, Justin Smelcer, Toliver Lasswell, Jessie Lasswell-Diemer, Joshua Gurschler, John Chrusciel, Gabriele Lasswell, Jamie Chrusciel; her six great-grandchildren, Shawn Lasswell, Natalee Lasswell, Kimberlynn Lasswell, Dean Diemer, Lincoln Strong, Waylon Chrusciel; and another great-granddaughter on the way, Adalynn Grace Chrusciel.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM, Thursday, September 16, 2021, at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, with a visitation from 2:00 PM until the service. There will also be another memorial service held in Illinois at a later date for her family and friends who are unable to travel and attend Thursday’s service. For the safety of the family, attendees have been asked to wear a mask.