during their five years here that
Mona converted her interest in
antiques into a business of buy-
ing and selling them. She later
added an interior design serv-
ice which, upon return to the
States in the 80s, became a sub-
stantial business.
Rudy meanwhile took early
retirement in 1982 from Sun Oil
Corporation. After a stint in
Houston, he was hired by
Spanish National Oil Company
and sent to Madrid for five years.
Mona visited the Prado
Museum every Tuesday. In 1995
they returned for good to the
States and chose Marfa (“the
most foreign place in Texas”) in
1996 as their future home. The
house they purchased on Austin
Street had previously been a
rooming house, so they opened
the Arcon Inn (archaic Spanish
for treasure) as a bed and break-
fast and filled it with it Peruvian
antiques.
Mona’s current project
combines artistic development
with healthful aging. In Peru,
she watched two very talented
female artists die unnecessarily
early and unfulfilled. Her aim
in Marfa was to develop a cen-
ter for mature women with
artistic talent. In 2004, she
established the International
Women’s Foundation and with
fortunate timing, she was able
to purchase Building 98 at old
Fort D.A. Russell in Marfa.
This building, which also has a
fine collection of murals paint-
ed by German prisoners of
war, is now functioning with
two artists in residence.
Meanwhile, guests at the Arcon
Inn enjoy excellent breakfasts
in a dining room with colonial
art on the walls, regaled by
their hostess with news of con-
temporary Marfa or bygone
days on another continent.
S
itting in the basement of
the Warnock Science
Building on the Sul Ross
State University campus and
talking with an easy-going and
modest former professor, it
takes some time to realize the
huge body of work produced
by the interviewee, Distin -
guished Professor Emeritus Dr.
Michael Powell. Pertinent to the
interview were the surrounding
cases of dried plant specimens
which filled the basement – the
herbarium – a research collec-
tion of an estimated 100,000
plants, of which he is director
and curator.
Albert Michael Powell was
born in Coleman, Texas in
1937, one of three children of
Welma and Everett Powell. His
father was a contractor/brick-
layer. Powell describes high
school in Coleman as easy. He
was interested in biology but
not plants; that came later at
Sul Ross. He was headed
toward a coaching career due
to his athletic ability, but as he
describes it, a turn in the road
occurred at Sul Ross where he
was exposed to the teachings of
charismatic Dr. Barton War -
nock. This influence would lead
to a career commitment in the
field of botany to research, writ-
ing and, above all, teaching.
After high school, Powell
obtained an A.A. in 1957 from
Howard
County
Junior
College in San Angelo, a B.S.
and M.A. from Sul Ross and a
Ph.D. in 1963 from The
University of Texas at Austin.
Starting on the Sul Ross fac-
ulty in 1963, he was promoted
to professor in 1968 and was
department chairman from
1978 to 1997. He retired in
2003. He also designed and
wrote a pamphlet on the cactus
garden at Sul Ross, was super-
visor of the greenhouse opera-
tions, helped plan and establish
the experimental vineyard and
was a founder of the
Chihuahuan Desert Research
Institute.
Barton Warnock was not an
easy act to follow. But it is clear
when talking with Powell that
the work itself was the main
thing. Teaching, he says, gave
him most satisfaction. He
taught for 40 years, missing one
class only due to illness. He
talks with pride about the biol-
ogy graduates from Sul Ross,
many of whom have gone on
to obtain Ph.D.s. He loved
teaching and sought to instill in
his students “a continuing
curiosity in the natural world
and a desire to continue learn-
ing throughout their lives.”
In addition to receiving var-
ious research grants and being
affiliated with numerous pro-
fessional biology associations,
Michael Powell wrote over 100
articles in professional journals
as well as seven books, some in
collaboration with his wife
Shirley and also with James F.
Weedin, for which he received
a Lifetime Achievement award
from the Native Plant Society
of Texas. His first book was
Trees and Shrubs of the Trans-Pecos
(1988). Cacti of the Trans-Pecos
(2004) was 10 years in the mak-
ing and contains over 300 color
pictures. Cacti of West Texas, a
Field Guide came out in 2008.
Mike and Shirley Powell live
south of Alpine. They have
three children, Leisa, Michael
and Dana, living outside the
region. He is within easy daily
commute to the Sul Ross
herbarium, and the Chihua -
huan Desert, his workshop and
inspiration, is always accessible.
What more could a scientist ask
for?
HARpeR ’ S
Hardware
tools • plumbing supplies • home & garden
Monday - Saturday 7:30 am to 6 pm
701 O’Reilly Street • Presidio • 432-229-3256
Marathon Motel
& rV Park
Private Bath/Cable tV
full Hookups/30 & 50 amp Pull-thrus
432.386.4241
HWY 90 W • Marathon • www.marathonmotel.com
2010
May 1 ~ Quilt Show
Gage Hotel • 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
July 3 ~ July 4th Celebration
Chili Cook-off, Dance & BBQ
Sept. 18 -19 ~ Westfest at Post Park
October 15 & 16 ~ Marathon 2 Marathon
Nov. 7 ~ Cowboy Social
Ritchey Bros. Building • 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Dec. 4 ~ Fiesta De Noche Bueno
Front Street • 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Cenizo
Second Quarter 2010
13