A longtime professor at Slippery Rock University has passed away.
Dr. Walter Powell taught political science at SRU for 44 years, serving for a time as department chair and for many years as the pre-law advisor for students considering a legal career.
He also maintained a small private law practice in Slippery Rock and was an active member of the Butler County Bar Association.
Outside of his academic and legal career, he was well-known for his passion for military aviation. He loved airplanes, and on a modest budget put together a fine collection of planes for a museum he called the Western PA Aviation Museum near Mercer.
Dr. Powell died Feb. 27 after a short illness. He was 90 years old.