WOODROW WILSON HIGH SCHOOL Alumni
PORTLAND, OREGON
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT WILSON GRADUATE ENJOYS UNRIVALED LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS Joan Edwards-Powell '62 knows a little something about hard work on and off the golf course. She is a retired teacher and is one of Oregon's great amateur golfers, winning more Pacific Northwest championships than any man or woman. Joan started playing golf in 1959 at the age of 14 and won her flight in the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) Girls' event. While playing for the golf team at Wilson, Joan was the Oregon state high school golf champion in 1960. After high school Joan stopped playing golf for nine years. Eventually, she started again, only to quit for 5 years when her children were young. Joan says that she is very proud of her golfing record. "I have 1 national championship, 10 regional championships, 22 state championships, and 2 city championships," adds Joan. She stills compete and in addition to her club championship, Joan won the Oregon Senior Stroke Play Championship and the senior division of The Player's Championship. Joan has won 37 private club championships, including 24 at Columbia Edgewater alone and holds the record for the most Pacific Northwest championships--more than any other man or woman. Joan is a member of the Pacific Northwest Hall of Fame, Wilson Hall of Fame and was just inducted into the PIL Hall of Fame. In July 2010, Joan won the Oregon Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship for the fourth time at Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis. She birdied the final hole to win by three strokes. In August 2010, Joan won the Columbia Edgewater Country Club women's championship for the 24th time, this time defeating a 20-year old college golfer by 2 strokes. The list of Joan's accomplishments are too many to report here. After Wilson, Joan obtained a B.S. in Business Administration at Portland State University. Upon graduation she was awarded a fellowship to enter an education program where she earned a M.S. in Education. Joan taught in elementary school before moving to middle school and eventually high school, first at Westview and then at St. Mary's Academy. She has taught every grade from 1-12 except 3rd grade. In addition, she taught AP English Language and AP English Literature. While at Westview High School she coached the boy's golf team for 10 years and was selected Coach of the Year. Joan is married to Bob Powell who graduated from Gresham High School in 1960, and they have two daughters and two grandchildren. Now that Joan is retired, in addition to golf, she plays in duplicate bridge tournaments, knits, reads for pleasure, hikes, exercises at the MAC, and swims. When asked about Wilson, Joan adds that Mr. Fred Warner was most influential in encouraging her interests in writing and literature. In an article written by the PNGA, Joan was quoted as saying, " I feel I am blessed. Since turning 50, I have accomplished so much.” To read more about Joan, visit: http://www.thepnga.org/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=521&page=37168&sid=1136&viewmode=new. |
