Ima Jean Noland Powell was born June 17, 1936, in Floyd County, Texas to Thomas Richard Noland and Vivian Opal Spence Noland. She married Arthur Jerrold Powell on August 30, 1960, and passed away on June 25, 2023. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and brother, Joe Richard Noland, and his wife Sandra. She was also preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Louis Powell, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Elvin and Ada Lee Evatt.
Ima Jean is survived by her daughter, Jeanie Alford, and husband, Scott Alford, of Littlefield, Texas and her son, Jimmy Powell, and wife, Pam Powell, of LaGrange. She is also survived by three grandchildren; JennyBeth Gardner and husband, Kenneth Gardner of Levelland, Texas, Jarrod Alford and wife, Brianna Alford of Petoskey, Michigan, Jaclyn Alford of Lubbock, Texas. Also surviving her are three step-grandchildren; Melissa Flanagan of Austin, Texas, Tara Lowe and Kaylee Bouley both of LaGrange, Texas. Her five surviving great grandchildren; Nathanael, Luke, Charis, and Caleb Garner of Levelland and Rosie Alford of Petoskey, Michigan. Surviving step-great-grandchildren include Jack Flanagan, Connor Bouley, Riley Lowe and Jessica Tippie.
Ima Jean's education began at the Center Community School at the age of 5, and she graduated Floydada High School in 1953. She attended Wayland Baptist College and later graduated Hardin-Simmons University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in secretarial studies with an emphasis in church administration.
Prior to her marriage, Ima Jean worked as church secretary at First Baptist Church, Floydada and later as secretary to the Floyd County District Attorney where she met her husband, Jerrold Powell. She was also named Old Settlers' Queen of Floydada in 1959.
A lifetime Southern Baptist, she was very active in the First Baptist Church of Ralls where she taught Sunday school, GA's, and Acteens. For many years, she served as Vacation Bible School director, and she organized the church library and served as its librarian for almost 50 years. Her interest in the church's history led her to locate pictures of all the church's former pastors through personal correspondence and create a display wall in the education building. She also served many years on the church's historical committee, and she is responsible for writing much of the church's history.
As a young wife and mother, she was a homemaker, well-known as a skilled seamstress, good cook, taking pictures in tole painting, cake decorating, and many types of crafts. During her children's elementary years, their classmates learned to look forward to receiving personalized, decorated cutout cookies at every Christmas and Valentines party. A gracious hostess, she could always be relied upon to entertain visiting preachers and evangelistic teams in her home. She enjoyed the study club and the quilt club that met in the community. She served as church secretary in the late 1970's and early '80's and later returned to school to study medical transcription. She served Dr. Robert Johnson for several years at the Lubbock Diagnostic Clinic as his medical transcriptionist. After her retirement, she served as an Auxiliary Volunteer at Methodist Hospital in Lubbock where she earned the 500 hour service award. In later years, she developed an active Bible study ministry, teaching Precept Bible courses for over 15 years.