Albert M. Powell

Dr. Albert Powell died on March 20, 2016 at the age of 91. He and his wife Louellen enjoyed sixty years of marriage before her passing in 2008 – his loving partner, adviser, and friend. Dr. Powell was born in Frederick, on March 9, 1925. He was the son of the late Albert M., Sr., and Mary Catherine Kelly Powell.

Raised in Lewistown, Dr. Powell lived most of his life in Frederick County. He attended the College of William and Mary until enlisting in the Navy during World War II. He completed his first two years of medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while in the Navy, then graduated from the University of Maryland School Of Medicine. Following a residency in pediatrics, Dr. Powell joined the Air Force at the start of the Korean War and served as chief of the outpatient clinic at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

Finishing his military service with the rank of Captain, Dr. Powell returned to Frederick where he and Dr. Fred Heldrich founded the Pediatric Center. He practiced pediatrics for 12 years before pursuing board certification in general and child psychiatry. Dr. Powell maintained a private practice in psychiatry in Frederick for 30 years, founding the group that has since become Blue Ridge Behavioral Health Services. He also provided consultation to the Frederick County Health Department, Frederick County Public Schools, and the Rock Creek Center, which he helped to establish. In addition, Dr. Powell consulted with health care organizations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. He directed the development of the outpatient child psychiatric service at Brook Lane Health Services in Hagerstown, MD and was the first Clinical Director of the Finan Center in Cumberland, MD.

While continuing his clinical, organizational, and consulting work, Dr. Powell served on the clinical faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine during the 1980’s. He was Chief of Staff at Frederick Memorial Hospital on two separate occasions and President of the Frederick County Medical Society for one term. Dr. Powell also volunteered on many local and state committees to address issues related to children and families, mental health, and addictions.

As a physician, Dr. Powell will be remembered for his warmth, diagnostic skill, uncanny effectiveness, and dedication to the highest medical and ethical standards. He was beloved by generations of families in the Frederick community and health care professionals across the region. Never satisfied with the status quo, Dr. Powell always sought change for the better. He was the recipient of the Frederick Memorial Hospital Good Samaritan Award, the Family Life Center Reinberger Award, and the Character Counts Lifetime Achievement Award.

To family and friends, Al Powell will be remembered for his interest in others, his love of fishing and nature, his keen intelligence and passion for learning, and his hearty laugh that warmed any occasion and revealed his joy for life. He was a natural connector and mentor, treasured for his wisdom and kindness. Facing life head-on with those he loved, Al was always there.

Dr. Powell is survived by Michael and his wife Barbara of Frederick; Lynn West and her husband Thomas of Roseboro, NC; Gregory and his wife Deborah of Frederick; Elizabeth Pollack and her husband Thomas of Frederick; and Eric and his wife Liliane of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil . He is also survived by twelve dearly loved grandchildren and four dearly loved great-grandchildren. Al will be remembered by his niece Patricia Grove and her husband William, as well as his close friend Betty Rollins.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m., on Thursday, March 24, 2016, at the Coffman Chapel of Hood College. Private interment will be in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick.

Arrangements are with the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, Frederick.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Community Foundation, Widening Circles Fund, 312 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701.