James Powell Obituary

James "Jimmy" Powell 1936 - 2026

Jim Powell didn't just walk into a room, he owned it. Always chewing the cigar, calling you "chief" or "pal," he had the kind of charisma that made everyone want to be wherever he was. And for a good long while, that was often at Ruth's Chris in Greenville, where he held court like the legend he was.

The oldest of six children born to Marion Joe Powell and Ressie Lee Mason Powell, Jim attended Clemson Agricultural College before serving in the Army. He started his career in advertising at the Seneca Journal, then moved through newspapers and sales before finding his true calling, turning ideas into money and good times into daily happenings.

When he joined the Shriners, everything changed. He founded and edited the Hejaz Shrine magazine, building it into such a success that he was making a whole lot of money when nobody was making a whole lot of money. For 13 years he served in various roles - Potentate's Aide, Imperial Aide, Commentator, Recorder. The Shriners gave him access to people and a world that changed everything for him, and he loved it dearly. But the next adventure was even greater.

Jimmy started Jim Powell Tours and never looked back. He organized legendary Super Bowl parties and casino tours to Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Caribbean. He walked through casinos with full briefcases that would make someone else's head spin, cool as a cucumber. He chartered planes, he met Elvis and he caroused with lots of infamous Vegas characters. He knew everyone worth knowing, and they all knew him.

But for all the Vegas glitz and the wheeling and dealing, what mattered most to Jim was family. His family orbited him like the sun - not because he demanded it, but because that's where everyone wanted to be. He was the gravitational force that kept everyone together, and his greatest wish was for that legacy to continue: for his family to stay close, to keep showing up for each other the way they all showed up for him.

He did it his way. Always.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife and the love of his life, Brenda, and his only sister, Evelyn Powell.

He is survived by his children, Jay, Wess, and Jennifer Powell; his siblings, Pete, Jerry, Denver, and Jeff Powell; nine grandchildren; and a bar tab at Ruth's Chris that will never quite be the same.

A memorial service to honor Jim's life will be held on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Thomas McAfee Funeral Homes Downtown Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.

Friends are encouraged to share their favorite memories of Jim with the family by clicking on the button labeled "Share A Memory."