Ida Faye Powell

Ida Faye Powell, 81 of Crestview, entered the gates of heaven on Saturday, July 25, 2026. She was born on November 25, 1944 to Art and Louise Coates. Ida Faye was a lifelong resident of Crestview. She graduated from Crestview High School in 1962 and went on to graduate from Florida State University in 1966. Ida Faye returned to Crestview and began her teaching career at Bob Sikes Elementary, where she taught 1st grade for 30 years. While teaching at Bob Sikes Elementary she met the love of her life, the P.E. teacher at Bob Sikes, Howard Powell. They were married for 40 years. Ida Faye and Howard were deeply involved in the Crestview community. Together they ran the summer camps for kids; both of them enjoyed taking the kids on field trips and swimming lessons. To this day there are people who would tell Howard and Ida Faye, if it wasn’t for you two and the programs, we would never have been able to experience the fun times and the travels that you provided.

Ida Faye was also involved in her church, First Baptist, where she was a lifetime member. She headed many committees at the church. Her knack for putting programs and special occasions together was her specialty. Ida Faye loved missions, local missions and foreign missions. In her later years she would travel to Honduras with a group from the church to teach villages about God. Most of all she loved the Lord and loved people. Ida Faye was an example to many, young and old. The lives that she touched and to the legacy she leaves behind…. Ida Faye was able to hear those words in which she dedicated her life to following the Lord and being an example… “Well done, thy good and Faithful servant”

She was preceded in death by husband, Howard Powell and her parents, Art and Louise Coates. Survivors include her son, Andy Powell and wife Heather; granddaughters, Rylee Fleming and husband Ryan and Claire Powell; sister, Teresa Coates and husband Bart Bryan; nephew, Brett Bryan and wife Audra and great niece, Walker; step children, Teresa and Sonny Howerton and Bruce and Cheryl Powell; nephews, Chuck Powell and wife Brenda, Jerry Powell and Keith Dewaye Powell; and special cousin, Becky Powell and family . She is also survived by several great and great-great nieces and nephews. Ida Faye leaves behind many of her granddaughters friends who she called “adopted granddaughters” and they called her Mimi, Lauren, Kristen, Emma, Joeli, Ellie, and Hanna.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, July 31, 2026 at 11am at First Baptist Church in Crestview with visitation from 9:30-11. Arrangements are entrusted to McDonald Family Funeral Home.

A special thank you to her First Baptist Sunday School class for coming and visiting and sitting with her and Sandy Burgess and Charlene Garrett for all your help the last two weeks. Also, a special thank you to the angels at Emerald Coast Hospice, Amy, Candace, and Amber and all those who came to the house. In lieu of flowers, Ida Faye wanted donations made to First Baptist Church building fund or Emerald Coast Hospice.