Leland C. Powell

Leland Claude Powell, age 91, passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at Granada Post Acute in Lynwood, California. Leland was born on December 24, 1930, in San Diego, California to Claude and Leone Powell. He graduated from high school in San Diego in 1949 and served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War as a radio operator from 1951 to 1954.

A cousin of Doris Heimberger's introduced her to Leland in 1954, and they were engaged after knowing each other for only 9 days! They married in San Diego on June 19, 1955. Leland and Doris remained married through the time of his passing, over 67 years. After his service in the Air Force, he studied engineering at San Diego State College (now SDSU). Driven by his interest in airplanes, he went on to become a structural engineer in the aerospace industry. He was an avid problem-solver and enjoyed all sorts of mathematical challenges. He retired from McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) after 35 years in the industry.

During that time, Leland and Doris raised four children: Tanya, Tina, Duane, and Tamara. They also relocated from San Diego to the Los Angeles area, eventually residing in Rancho Palos Verdes since 1963. Leland often remarked about how he loved feeling the ocean breeze at home.

During his Air Force service, stationed in Japan, Leland developed a passion for photography. On his days off, he honed his skills by photographing the colorful scenes of life in Japan. He was a tech enthusiast and fastidiously studied the latest in camera technology. Throughout his life, he and Doris, along with their children and other family members, road-tripped across the western United States. He and Doris meticulously planned out each road trip, building on the knowledge gained in their last excursion. They reveled in the country's majestic national parks, which never failed to give Leland awesome vistas to photograph. He cherished the serenity of nature and the vibrant flora in their travels. Leland particularly loved to photograph his family in these environments and often trailed the rest of the group to take candid photographs of his favorite subjects.

Leland was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He gave generously of his time and attention. Leland is survived by his wife, Doris Powell, four children, Tina Price, Tanya Harrison, Duane (Mariana) Powell, Tamara (Chip) Edson, eleven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.