Joe Power

Funeral services for Mr. Joseph "Joe" William Power, 74 of Cookeville, will be held Wednesday, April 15th at 4 p.m. at Washington Avenue Baptist Church. Bro. Mark Gaw and Pastor Ed Malone will officiate. Burial will follow in Crest Lawn Cemetery. Joe's family will receive friends Tuesday from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and again Wednesday from 2 p.m. until service time at the church. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. Mr. Power died Sunday morning April 12, 2015 in Upper Cumberland Hospice and Palliative Care. He was born March 30, 1941 in Nashville, TN and was raised by his adoptive parents, John Waldo and Ella B. Russell Power of Cookeville. Joe was a1959 graduate of Central High School, and received bachelors (1963) and masters degrees (1970) from Tennessee Tech University, where he was a member of the TTU Baseball team. Following teaching stints in Hendersonville and Algood School, Joe began another career as a firefighter in 1982. He served as a member of the Cookeville Fire Department for 21 years, where he and his son Bo Power were the first paid father and son team members of the department, until his retirement in 2003. He earned an Associates degree in Fire Science from Volunteer State Community College and also served on the TN State Fire Commission for 15 years. From being voted in high school as the Jolliest Junior and Wittiest CHS Student, to his recent birthday party where many attended, Joe's life was filled with many loving and admiring friends. His eternal optimism, happiness and smiles, and humorous and joking nature will be dearly missed and fondly remembered. Mr. Power was a long-time member of Washington Avenue Baptist Church and served as a Putnam County Commissioner. For the past 10 years, he and his wife Jan have enjoyed living as snowbirds for half the year in Ocala, Fl, near his favorite team the Florida Gators. Joe had a love for cars and enjoyed traveling to car shows. He was a member of the Pistons Car Club and was a Middle TN Advisor for the National Street Rod Association. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Janice ‘Jan' Gregory Power (whom he married October 12, 1963 in Cookeville); son and daughter-in-law, Bo and Candie Power and grandson Trent Power, all of Cookeville; daughter, Beth Power of San Francisco, CA. Members of the Cookeville Fire Department will serve as pallbearers. Joe's car club friends and fellow Sunday School class members at Washington Avenue will serve as honorary pallbearers. Memorial contributions are suggested to be made to Upper Cumberland Hospice and Palliative Care, 570 State St., Cookeville, TN 38501.