![Tributes paid to John Powell who overcame the odds at every opportunity. Pictures supplied. Tributes paid to John Powell who overcame the odds at every opportunity. Pictures supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/e82ade7a-d62f-452c-af61-aae18e954182.png/r0_0_1920_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Tributes have been paid to an "extraordinary human" who never had a bad word to say about anybody.
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John Powell died on Saturday, March 25 at the age of 73.
Throughout his life, Mr Powell constantly faced adversity, starting right from the day he was born when he suffered a brain injury which made speech and processing information "very frustrating" for him.
According to Mr Powell's eldest sister, Patricia Powell, doctors didn't think he would ever walk or talk.
![John Powell. John Powell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/9956d6dd-3e0d-4c76-b6a6-b1120abd86c4_rotated_270.jpeg/r0_446_3024_3279_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He beat the odds and did both," she said.
"He was an amputee but he probably walked more miles in Orange than those of us with two legs did.
"For someone who was perceived to be handicapped, John was extraordinary. With the lot he was handed, he made more out of life than a lot of people do."
A die-hard St George Illawarra Dragons supporter, Mr Powell's love of rugby league crossed paths with Orange CYMS, for whom he served as a committee member, club strapper and masseuse and was awarded life membership for his years of hard work and dedication.
![John Powell. John Powell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/83e65403-1e73-4049-8731-0c27eace7432.jpeg/r0_116_1224_1190_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As for his day job, Mr Powell worked with Orange City Council for 33 years as a parks and garden attendant.
"He had lots of council jokes that he used to tell us," Ms Powell added.
"He was a real family man even though he never married or had children of his own. He loved his nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
"He was a very well-known identity. You couldn't walk down Summer Street without John being greeted by every second person that we met and was a very friendly, compassionate man."
![John Powell. John Powell.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/396c0c1a-6c00-40dc-999d-9758ad7e2c95.jpeg/r0_0_1170_1560_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Throughout his life, Mr Powell always made it his mission to help as many other people as he could.
"John did a lot of informal work with struggling teenagers when he was younger. He worked with kids who had dropped out of school or were sent away from home. He would keep an eye on them and get them back on track," his sister added.
"People always felt able to talk to John as a confidant. He was a good listener and could strike up a conversation with the most educated person in the community as well as the beggar on the street."
When Mr Powell retired, he even had an "informal counselling service" at the pubs around town and was involved with numerous charitable organisations throughout his life, such as Careflight.
![John Powell pictured with one of his 22 grandnieces and grandnephews. Picture supplied. John Powell pictured with one of his 22 grandnieces and grandnephews. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/eafa1ef4-9e39-4af5-90c2-a93d90490027.jpeg/r0_0_3264_2448_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Up until his last few days, you would never find Mr Powell complaining.
"Even when they gave him his death sentence, he said 'oh well, I've had a good life'," Ms Powell added.
"He never made demands on anyone. John wouldn't say a bad word about anybody and he couldn't tolerate anybody else doing it. He was a genuinely good bloke."
The funeral service for Mr Powell will take place on Wednesday, April 5 at 1.30pm at St Joseph's Catholic Church.
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