Carl Powell

Carl (Tuffy) Powell, passed away in Missoula, Montana from pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2018. Tuffy was born August 28, 1934 to Andrew Paul Powell and Vivian (LaMunyon) Powell in Buffalo, OK.

Tuffy spent his early years living in Oklahoma & later moved to Sunnyside, Washington. When he married he moved to Arlee, MT & there he and Sidney built a log home.

Early in Tuffy’s life, he was a jockey that rode many races in Oklahoma, South Dakota, Montana and Washington states. He rode his first match race at the age of 5 weighing only 42 lbs.  When he was 16 & the legal age to ride at the bigger race tracks, he was finished riding.

Tuffy spent all of his life at Thoroughbred Race Tracks working on Starting Gates, in the Jockey’s Room as a Valet, he also trained horses, shod horses and also worked maintenance at Gulfstream Race Track in Florida and Emerald Downs Race Track in Washington. Two of his favorite horses he trained were “Monatani” and “Grantrick”. The last 13 years of his life were spent in retirement.

Tuffy made beautiful lariat baskets from the used lariats his son, grandsons and friends passed on to him. He was always so happy when some of his “boys” came with their used ropes. Tuffy was very proud of how his yard and fields looked. Tuffy also liked to do woodwork and made very nice Adirondack chairs, large and small.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Odis (Buck) & Martin (Lee). He is survived by his wife Sidney Schall Powell and two sons, Brent (Patti) of St. Ignatius, and Jeff (Sharon) of Arlee and 5 grandsons, Brice, Clay, Will Powell & Reece and Riley Bailey and his dog Bo. He is also survived by his brothers, Jack, Dick (Joy), Max (Carol), Pat (Ann) & sister Pauline Todd; brother in law Ted Schall & sister in law Betty Mae Schall as well as many nieces, nephews and many, many friends across the United States.

A Memorial service for Tuffy will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. at the Brown Building in Arlee. Urn burial will be in the St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery.