Gloria Nations Powell

Gloria was born in Roscoe, Texas and raised in Morton, Texas. Although she was a small town girl at heart, she loved to travel and through her career with both Braniff and American Airlines, Gloria saw the world. She traveled from Europe to Africa to Iran and beyond. Gloria spent many years in Dallas where she raised two loving children, Sandra and Monte. Gloria met George Powell on a blind date set up by mutual friends in Texas in 1988. They had an immediate connection sparked by their mutual love of aviation and international travel, including Iran, where they both, coincidentally, lived and worked in the mid-1970s. They married in 1992 and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where they worked together to start Vision Air, an aircraft parts manufacturing company, in 1995. In 2001, they moved to Gold Canyon where they started MARPA, an FAA-PMA parts manufacturing association. Throughout their later careers, George and Gloria worked side-by-side and, together, made significant contributions to the aviation industry in North America. When not working, George and Gloria liked to hike in the mountains at their cabin on the edge of the Tonto National Forest or sit on their back patio at sunset in Gold Canyon feeding the many animals that came to visit at dusk: javelinas, desert deer, quail, cardinals and other birds. George and Gloria were always very active together, even running a 10k at Christopher Creek when they were in their 60’s. Gloria retired from aircraft work in 2011 and set up a second home in Prescott, Arizona, where she loved the mountains and the feel of the smaller town. George loved Gloria’s intellect, her warm personality and her love of her grandchildren and the many animals that regularly came to visit her in the backyard of their home in Gold Canyon. They were God’s creatures and Gloria always made sure they were taken care of with food and water set out on the back patio. George says that Gloria “was the most sincerely empathetic person he has ever known.” Gloria is survived by her daughter Sandra, son Monte, and her eight loving grandchildren, who will always remember Gloria as a wonderful, loving presence in their lives. Gloria lived 75 years, 11 months, and 2 two days.