Ellen Bivona Powell

November 28, 1938 - April 12, 2022

Mrs. Ellen Bivona Powell passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the age of 83 in Lafayette, Louisiana where she resided for 54 years. Ellen was born November 28, 1938, the daughter of Vincent John Bivona and Marjorie Frances Baxter, in New Orleans, Louisiana. After graduating in 1956 from St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans, Ellen worked as a buyer for Maison Blanche department stores, making frequent buying trips to New York. In 1958, she was the only female Architecture student in her class at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now UL Lafayette) where she met her husband, Tom Powell. Ellen was a professional artist who sold thousands of paintings between 1968 and 2015. Known for depictions of landscapes and birds, she was a Federal Duck Stamp contest finalist. She won many art competitions and was a longtime member of the Lafayette Art Association. Ellen also was a talented writer and authored two books set in Louisiana. She enjoyed genealogy and created and sold illustrated Cajun Family Histories. She was a devout Catholic her entire life, attending St. Edmund Catholic Church in Lafayette. Cherishing Ellen Powell's memory is her daughter Deborah Ann Powell of Lafayette, LA; son Thomas Leander Powell IV (Laura) of Fort Worth, TX; son Mark Vincent Powell (Ashlie) of Decatur, AL; daughter Shannon Lelia Powell Doherty of Lafayette, LA ; daughter Bridget Marjorie Powell of Arlington, TX; grandson Clayton Thomas Powell of Austin, TX; grandson Cameron Hardeman Powell of Austin, TX; granddaughter Colleen Ellen Powell of Dallas, TX; grandson Nicholas Leander Powell of Decatur, AL; granddaughter Mrs. Hannah Powell Taylor (Christian) of Ludowici, GA; grandson Jameson Bridges Powell of Decatur Alabama; granddaughter Clara Ella Powell of Decatur, AL; grandson Michael Thomas Doherty of Lafayette, LA; great-grandson Alexander Ross Taylor of Ludowici, GA; sister Mrs. Frances Bivona Smith (Fred) of Cobb Island, MD; nephew James Vincent Mullins (Kristin) of Coral Springs, FL; and niece Elizabeth Louise Mullins of Vero Beach, FL. Ellen was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Leander Powell III, her parents, and her sister Mrs. Mary Bivona Mullins and her husband John. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Deborah Powell and Shannon Powell Doherty for the excellent care and dedication they provided Ellen over the last four years. Funeral Service will be held at Delhomme Funeral home at 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 2pm with visitation to begin at 1pm. Father Campion of St. Edmond Catholic Church in Lafayette will officiate. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org. Personal condolences may be sent to the Powell family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com Ellen Bivona Powell and her family were cared for and entrusted final arrangements to Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA. Copyright - Delhomme Funeral Home, Inc - April 2022