Funeral services honoring the life of Dr. Powell Alexander Layton were held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, 3820 Old Mooringsport Road, Shreveport, Louisiana. Officiating the service was Nick Roark, associate pastor of University Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A visitation was held prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial immediately followed the service at Sand Hill Cemetery in Simms, Texas.
Dr. Powell Alexander Layton was born August 21, 1922 in Bastrop County, Texas to Tom Alexander Layton and Julia Mae Spence Layton and passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
He grew up in Smithville, Texas and graduated from Smithville High School in 1940. He attended Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos, Texas and from there served in the United States Navy as a Naval Skipper (LCT 885) in WWII. In 1947, he married Dorotha Parker and finished his degree in Business Administration in 1948. In the same year, he was named principal, teacher and coach at Belcher School in Belcher, Louisiana and had his first child, Kathy Lynn Layton.
In 1955, he was named principal of Lakeshore Jr. High School in Shreveport, Louisiana and had his second child, Powell “Chip” A. Layton. In 1967 he was named principal at Northwood Jr./Sr. High School. In 1973, he was appointed Executive Director of the Caddo Teachers Association in Shreveport, Louisiana and in 1978 received his Ed. D. in Education Supervision at Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, Louisiana. In 1980, he became an adjunct professor at Centenary College of Louisiana for over 20 years.
He is preceded in death by his loving wife and best friend of 70 years, Dorotha Parker Layton. Left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Kathy Wilson and husband, Jim; son, Chip Layton and wife, Tracy; grandchildren, Allison Roark and husband, Nick, Leighton Wilson and wife, Emily, Madison Layton Aitchison and husband, Brooks; Molly Layton Temple and husband, Brandon, and Tess Layton; and great-grandchildren, Elijah Roark, Hudson Roark, Emmaline Roark, Polly Wilson, and Sam Wilson.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Charles Shaver, Bob Willoughby, Don Simmons, Doyle Drake and David Worthington.
The family suggests memorials may be made to Trinity Heights Baptist Church, 3820 Old Mooringsport Rd., Shreveport, LA 71107.
