Ray Lee Powers, 79, passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2026, surrounded by his loving family at home in Lebanon, Indiana. He was born December 27, 1946, in Lebanon, son of the late Virgil and Stella Mae (Smallwood) Powers.
Ray began his lifelong love of gardening and yard work as a boy in the farm fields of Boone County. He often recounted that he was driving a tractor and baling hay by the age of ten. Life on the farm taught him a strong work ethic and an inner strength he would carry with him his entire life.
Ray met the love of this life in biology class at Granville Wells High School. He burned a grasshopper with a magnifying glass, his lab partner Diana declared that he was the man for her, and the rest was history. They were married in her parents’ home on January 21, 1967, two weeks before he shipped out to Vietnam.
Ray was proud of his military service, though like most veterans, he rarely spoke of his time in active duty beyond generic sights and exotic foods. He first served at Fort Benning, GA. From there he was stationed in Germany, and after that, Vietnam.
He and Diana took advantage of his two week R&R in Oahu, Hawaii to spend the time together for their honeymoon. While there, Ray refused to spend $10 for the two of them to see the famous singer, Don Ho, in concert. When he finally gave in, they returned to the venue only to find that they had missed his show. In the remaining 59 years together, Diana laughingly never let the opportunity pass to remind him.
After Vietnam, Diana joyfully joined him for his final 2 years of service in Fort Hood, TX where their first daughter was born. Ray was honorably discharged in December of 1969, and they headed home to Indiana where a few years later, their second daughter joined their family. After the military, Ray joined the US Postal Service and worked there for 35 years before he retired.
Above anything else, Ray was a devoted family man who loved nothing more than spending time with the people he loved most in the world. He loved to tease and joke and had a knack for making people laugh with his wicked sense of humor. Ray loved to travel, and together, he and Diana spent many happy vacations with their family. In addition, he and Diana went to Gatlinburg, TN every year for more than 20 years, which was his favorite place in the world. They spent hours roaming the streets, discovering new restaurants, and relaxing at their favorite hotel in the mountains.
Survivors include his wife, Diana Powers; two daughters, Michelle (Allen) Skow and Kristina Powers all of Lebanon; grandchildren, David (Journey) Skow, Laura Skow, and Stella Powers; siblings, Carol (Max) McDougal, Rick Powers, Roger Powers, and Melody Vessels; brother-in-law, Craig (Marie) Foster; sister-in-law, Becky (Ed) Owen; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Ray was preceded in death by his brothers, Robert and Ron; sister, Pam; parents-in-law, George and Laverne Pierce; and sisters-in-law, Dena Brown and Delores Foster.
Funeral Services with Military Rites are planned for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Myers Mortuary, 1502 North Lebanon Street, in Lebanon, Indiana. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until the time of services. Interment will follow at Dover Cemetery in Dover.
Memorials may be directed in his memory to the Lebanon Christian Church, 610 West 250 North, Lebanon, IN 46052.