Kershaw E. Powell

Kershaw (“Kirk”) Elias Powell, D.M.D., a resident of Amherst, New Hampshire, died on December 23, 2014 at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua with his loving wife Kathleen and children at his side. He was 85 years old. Kirk was born on August 9, 1929 in Waterville, Maine, the only child of Henry Powell and Mary Catherine MacAskill Powell, who had moved to Waterville from Bloomingdale Road, Prince Edward Island, Canada. His father died of tuberculosis when Kirk was 3 years old. Kirk grew up in Waterville, Maine where he lived with his mother, worked through his teenage years at Harris Bakery and attended Waterville schools. He graduated from Waterville High School in 1947, valedictorian of his class and recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute award in mathematics. With the help of bakery owner, Everett B. Harris, Kirk attended Colby College between 1947 and 1949 and Tufts Dental School from which he graduated in 1953. Between 1953 and 1955, Kirk first served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy in the Dental Corps, and then moved back to Waterville where he practiced dentistry for the next 44 years. Throughout his 44 years of practice, Kirk was fond of his patients and well known for the high quality of his work. He was a member of the medical staffs of Seton and Thayer Hospitals and of the local, state, and American Dental Associations. As his practice grew, he became a leader in the community, serving on the Waterville School Board for 8 years, with 4 years as Chairman; on the YMCA Board, with 4 years as President and Chairman of the Building Committee; and on the Colby College Board of Trustees for 6 years. Kirk was a passionate fan and active supporter of Colby College and its athletic programs. He worked closely with other friends of the college to help Colby student athletes and fund enhancement of the school’s athletic facilities. In the 1990s, he was awarded an honorary bachelors and masters degree, thus formally completing his Colby education. He was also the recipient of both the Colby Brick Award (for service to the College) and the Colby “C” Club Man of the Year. Throughout his adult life, Kirk was dedicated to physical fitness, always making time for strenuous workouts which included running, stationary cycling, weightlifting, and handball. He was a golfer as well. Even in the final months of his life, he could be found vigorously riding an Airdyne stationary bike. Kirk was also an avid reader who loved books about physics, astronomy and other sciences. Kirk married his loving wife Kathleen on July 3, 1997. He is survived by Kathleen, his children and their spouses: Greg Powell and Amy of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Wendy Powell Springborn of Hallowell, Maine; Sabrina Powell Beach and John of Farmington, Maine; his stepchildren and their spouses, Scott Saft and Yumiko, of Honolulu, Hawaii; Jeanne Zadrozny Shea and Jonathan of Grafton, Massachusetts; Jim Zadrozny and Marissa of Cumberland, Rhode Island; Jennifer Zadrozny Riley and Sean of Bedford, New Hampshire; and Jonathan Zadrozny and Meaghan of East Bridgewater, Masschusetts; and nineteen grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife Jane “Jill”Powell. Calling hours are on Monday, December 29th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH 03055, (603) 673-1422. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, December 30th at 1:00 PM in St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 190 Meetinghouse Road, Bedford, NH. Burial will be in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen, NH, at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Melanoma Research Foundation, 1411 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005 or Harold and Bibby Alfond Youth Center, Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA of Greater Waterville, 126 North Street, Waterville, ME 04901.