Popular Sammy Southall school headmaster Michael Powell dies

Michael Powell died aged 90.

The devoted educator, affectionately known as “Mick” to family and friends, and “Mike” to his wife Vanda, died peacefully in his sleep after a four-year battle with Alzheimer’s.

His daughter Sasha said that former students had told the family he was remembed for “liking to pace around the school in his nice shoes with a bouncy walk and hands behind his back.”

He taught at Nunnery Wood High school from 1956 to 1967 and went on to become the deputy head master at Samuel Southall school, and later the headmaster.

Samuel Southall merged with Perdiswell School in 1983 to form Elgar High School, where Michael remained headmaster until he retired in 1993.

Michael Charles Powell

Michael was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018 and moved to the Norton Care Home in October 2021, where his family said he had remained cheerful the last time he saw his wife, a few days before his death.

Michael was born on May 31 1931 at 28 Cypress Street, Barbourne, Worcester, where he lived with his mother Eva Valentine and his father Charles Bertram and younger brother Robin.

He attended the Royal Grammar School in Worcester and went on to receive a scholarship for Oxford University to study history, gaining his master’s degree in 1952.

Michael completed his national service in the Royal Navy, where he spent the majority of his time situated in Malta.

He completed his teacher training in Saltley, Birmingham, and worked in Wisbech running the language school from 1959-1961. He spoke seven languages.

Michael met his wife Vanda, who was from former Yugoslavia, when she came over in the first batch of students from Belgrade University to improve her spoken English, and they married in 1961.

The couple welcomed their son Goran in 1965 and their daughter Sasha in 1967.

After retirement, he remained a member of the Historical Association, attended language refresher courses and enjoyed working with computers and proof-reading digitised obscure texts for Project Gutenberg.

Michael also enjoyed regularly kayaking on the River Severn right up until he fell ill in 2018.

Michael Charles Powell holding his grandson, Harry.

He is survived by his devoted wife Vanda and his two children, four grandchildren and his brother Robin.

The funeral service will be held at Worcester Crematorium on Monday January 10 at 13:00pm, with donations to the Alzheimer’s society being collected at the service or sent to E J Gumery & Son.