Alma Powell, Wife of Gen. Colin Powell and Birmingham Native, Dies at 86

Life and Career of Alma Powell

Alma Powell, wife of the iconic military officer and former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, has passed away at the age of 86. A family spokesperson confirmed her death. Fondly recalled as the pillar of their family, Powell’s children, Michael, Linda, and Annemarie, released a sentimental statement about their mother.

Born in the southern city of Birmingham in 1937, Alma Vivian Johnson Powell marked her territory as an influential person early on. After her academic journey at Parker High School and Fisk University in Nashville, she hosted the popular afternoon radio show, “Luncheon with Alma” on the WJLD station.

Her inclination towards learning led her to Boston where she studied speech pathology and audiology. The marriage to Lt. Colin Powell happened following a blind date and within no time, they were off to their honeymoon at the historic A.G. Gaston Motel.

Supporting General Colin Powell

Staying true to her supportive nature, Alma returned to Birmingham in 1963, embracing family life alone, while her husband was deployed for his first tour in Vietnam. Consecutively, raising three children across Virginia, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Colorado, Georgia, and Germany was no less than a challenge.

She stood as the backbone of her husband during his tenure as the National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the U.S. Secretary of State under former President George W. Bush. Alma is also credited for dissuading her husband from running for president in 1996.

America’s Promise Alliance and Powell’s Legacy

The couple founded the noble initiative, America’s Promise Alliance, aiming for better youth development. Care for children was always Alma’s strong suit, reflecting through two children’s books written by her, supporting their shared cause. Her husband, in his last known interview, loved reminiscing about this strong woman, his greatest support system.

Respecting her vibrant life, her children emphasized how they will miss her, while taking comfort in the fact she had a fulfilling life and is now reunited with their father, Colin Powell, who passed away from COVID-19 complications in 2021.