Spenser Flinn Powell's Obituary
Spenser Flinn Powell, 28, of Knoxville, TN, passed away May 29, 2018, in Memphis, TN, with an overwhelming number of friends and family by his side. He was born to Jeffrey Flinn Powell and Sonia Denise Faulkner Brown on February 20, 1990. Spenser graduated from Houston High School, the University of Tennessee (‘12), and the University of Tennessee Law School (‘17). Spenser was honored as the Most Outstanding Graduate from his fellow classmates, faculty, and staff. He was the Valedictorian of his law school class and had the distinction of being the only student in the history of the Law School to have perfect scores in all classes.As a member of the National Moot Court Team, Spenser was named best oralist at the regional competition in which the team went on to the national competition in New York and had the second best brief in the country.He was named to Order of the Barristers, an international moot court honorary society with limited membership. He received the Susan Devitt Moot Court Award; he shared with his team the Ogden Sullivan brief-writing award; and he was awarded the McClung Medal, the highest award given by the faculty to the most outstanding member of UT Moot Court.He served as a judicial law clerk for Chief Judge Thomas A. Varlan of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. In August, he was going to begin his judicial clerkship for Judge Carolyn King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas. He was set to become an associate in the litigation group of Bass Berry & Sims in Nashville upon completion of his clerkships.In the words of Professor Penny White of UT Law School, “He never said no to anything anyone asked of him. Never.”Spenser enjoyed hiking, biking, and running and was a phenomenal artist. He enjoyed being an advocate for those in need, was a friend to all, and a superhero to his brothers and sisters. Spenser died as he lived, striving to reach a goal in running a half marathon.Spenser is survived by his parents Jeffrey Flinn Powell, Sonia Denise Faulkner Brown, and Richard Allan Brown, Jr.; his brothers Buddy Ray Ladd, Nolan Michael Brown, Graham Matthew Brown and sisters Ashley Marie Powell and Lillian Grace Powell. He also leaves behind his grandparents, Dr. Thomas Hickey, Bettye Jo Powell, and Alice and Fred Bryant. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Dr. Sonja Sherrill Hickey and his grandfather L.D. Powell. He is also survived by the love of his life, girlfriend, Elizabeth Holland, and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and a host of friends.Funeral services will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home in Memphis, TN. The visitation will be June 9th, 2018, at 1:30pm, funeral at 2:30pm, and concluding with a reception following the graveside service.
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