In Tribute
In Memory of
Dr. A.J. Powell 1939 – 2013 Dr.
A.J. (Andrew Jackson) Powell Jr., age 74, died of cardiac arrest on October 30, 2013, in a Lexington, KY, hospital. Born in Lacie, KY, in August 1939, he graduated from the University of Kentucky with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in agriculture and from Virginia Tech in 1967 with a Ph.D. in agronomy. After serving two years as an officer in the U.S. Army, he worked in a teaching position for two years at the University of Maryland and as an Extension specialist for another five years at Virginia Tech before returning to the University of Kentucky in 1975. There, he served for 30 years as a professor and research and Extension specialist in turfgrass until his retirement in 2010. In 2012, the turfgrass research center at the University of Kentucky was renamed in his honor as the A.J. Powell Jr. Turfgrass Research Center.
Reflections from Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech Dr. A.J. Powell Jr. passed away on October 30, 2013, at the age of 74 years young. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Janie, and two children, Julie and Jeff, and the most recent apple of his eye that he loved to talk about was his new granddaughter, Lily.
A.J. served on the faculty of the University of Kentucky (UK) for 30 years as the state turfgrass Extension specialist, but several of our more “experienced” folks in Virginia and Maryland remember A.J. for the years he spent on the faculty at both schools early in his career. (He was very pleased to return to Virginia a few years ago and participate in the VTC’s 50th anniversary celebration.) A.J. was a man of great faith, and I was proud to know him as my mentor as well as a dear friend. I am pleased to share some of my memories of Dr. Powell. A.J. was a Kentucky boy through and through, and if you think I am a Wildcat basketball fanatic, I pale in comparison to Dr. Powell. If you ever spent any time around him, you became well aware that he was from Henry County, where (according to A.J.) the women were prettier, the men stronger and the kids just a little bit smarter than anywhere else in Kentucky. A.J. was also a Hokie, having completed his Ph.D. under the guidance of Dick Schmidt and Roy Blaser for research that is, to this day, the basis for the emphasis of fall fertilization of cool-season grasses in this region. A.J. was one of the most engaging presenters in this business, a man who played up his country-boy roots, but if you really paid attention, you quickly realized just how smart he was, too. For me, he became the teacher and advisor I wanted to emulate — his class was a challenge, but it was also very
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fair AND a lot of fun. A.J. lured me into this profession late in my academic career at UK with a strong sales pitch of “since you don’t really know anything in order to get a job, I think graduate school is your best option.” I did a master’s degree with A.J. at UK, and when I was looking for my next step, he gave me some more fantastic advice: “Mike, I want you to go work with one of the best scientists in the business… I have called Dick Schmidt at Virginia Tech, and he would like to meet with you about a Ph.D. project in Blacksburg.” A.J. had not led me wrong yet, and once again, he gave me life-changing advice (to come work with Dick) that solidified my academic career and ultimately resulted in family and professional opportunities that I could have never imagined. After witnessing approximately 1,000 people return to Lexington for his wake, it was pretty easy to see that Dr. Powell did lots of things for lots of people. As the pastor said at A.J.’s funeral service, “It is clear that this man has touched the lives of many in deeply personal ways. It is also clear that this man should probably have been brought up on multiple criminal charges!” A.J.’s wit was legendary, with the pastor specifically mentioning the infamous “round steak” party that A.J. and Janie hosted. It seems that A.J. invited a large crowd to the house for a big cookout that was to feature round steak on the grill. A.J. delivered, as he brought out a two-foot-long sleeve of