Cornyn, Pfluger Legislation to Rename San Angelo VA Clinic Passes House

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) released the following statements after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Colonel Charles and JoAnne Powell VA Clinic Act, to rename the San Angelo Community Based Outpatient VA Clinic located at 4240 Southwest Blvd, in San Angelo to honor the Powell’s lifetime of service to the area:

“Colonel Charles and JoAnne Powell are remembered for their remarkable dedication to public service and to West Texas,” said Sen. Cornyn. “Their legacy of community leadership will live on to inspire others who walk through the doors of this VA clinic and I look forward to this bill being signed into law.”

“Colonel Powell and JoAnne served our country and the San Angelo community with character and dignity—living their lives completely devoted to the service of others,” said Rep. Pfluger. “Renaming the VA Clinic in San Angelo after these two legends could not be more fitting, as they both passionately supported our military members throughout their entire lives. Our Nation is a better place because of their unparalleled patriotism and love for our country. Now, every veteran who walks in for care at the clinic, and every person in the community who drives by, will be inspired by the service of Charles and JoAnne.”

Colonel Charles E. Powell was a Texas native and a 30-year Air Force pilot who volunteered to serve in Vietnam as a Rescue Crew Commander flying 168 combat missions and later served as Commander of the 17th Training Wing at Goodfellow Air Force Base. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Legions of Merit, and the Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters. After his Air Force career, Colonel Powell served his community as board member for United Way of Texas, Boy Scouts of Southwest Texas, Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, and the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, earning Citizen of the Year by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce, the Distinguished Citizen of the Year award from the Boy Scouts of Southwest Texas, and Veteran of the Year at Angelo State University. He also served on Senator Cornyn’s Service Academy Selection Board for more than a decade helping to review applications from Texas students applying for a nomination to U.S. service academies.

His wife, JoAnne served as a Congressional District Office Manager and regional staff aide to four local Members of Congress throughout multiple decades of public service. She served on the boards of the Red Cross, Meals for the Elderly, Hospice of San Angelo, and was frequently referred to as “the First Lady of Goodfellow Air Force Base.”

In 2015, we published an extended story about the Powells who were at that time honored by the Southwest Council of the Boy Scouts.

Colonel Powell passed away on July 2, 2020 and JoAnne Powell passed on March 24, 2021. The couple were married for 65 years.