Posted by Jim Steve Powell on May 13, 2001 at 20:11:51 from 172.160.234.57 :
There were somewhere around 450 people who attended the service... and from all walks of life, from the near-homeless to a State Supreme Court Justice, to entertainer Ani DiFranco, to, well -- everyone. I was SO wonderful for Karen, Steve and I to see the love and devotion from Ed's friends. The service went well, and the reception was wonderful -- at least most of it that I can remember. I think about the last memory was of me playing the piano and Stephen trying to sing the Ed Powell blues or something like that. Arrgh... I had a headache today. Debbie got a lot of people to write notes to Ed for her memorial quilt that she was doing (see the other message that will be posted in here)and that's a project she's really looking forward to. I do want to mention something on a less that happy note, and just be done with it. At the house, there were at least two incidents of people trying to walk off with things of Dads -- in one case it was some books, and in another it was some of his journals. That REALLY hurts and I want everyone to know that Dad would gladly GIVE anything to anyone, but it's wrong that this person would deny his family these important archives of his life. If someone has taken something -- I don't care if you photocopy them, just don't deprive us. Back to the happy news: I want to thank everyone for the kind words about the website that Steve and I put together. I didn't really... fully... realize what it's meant to me until I heard what it's meant to others. It's been great that everyone can share in this. I especially want to thank Karen's sister-in-law, Cheryl (sp?) Hedman of L.A. for making a book (in color!) of the website and all the photos... it looks REALLY good. In the coming weeks I'll be looking into a way where anyone can print out the web site in book format, or I can do it for them. I intend to keep the web site going... I don't exactly know what form it will take, but as we start figuring out what's what with Dad's papers and works in progress, I suspect that we will post a lot of them. I feel a little funny about keeping the website going from the standpoint of... well, I suspect that people will want to have said their goodbye's to Ed, and to move on in life. So part of me is a little self-conscious about continuing this; I just know that I want my nephews -- Ed's grandsons to know as much about him as they can, and the message from people, and the stories really helps. Anyway, I will be posting Eulogies in here ASAP, and I'll start with my own as I have that here on the computer; I'll try to get those from the others who spoke at the service, and I'll scan a post a copy of the proclamation from the New York State Assembly Honoring the Life of Professor Ed Powell. We recvd that moments before the service started and it was WONDERFUL. Thanks again and again to everyone for making this so special. Jim