Morgan F. Powell, a recent Cheltenham High School graduate, dies at 18

Morgan Feona Powell, 18, who graduated from Cheltenham High School in June and loved poetry, died Sunday, Dec. 5, from injuries she sustained after being struck by a car.

Ms. Powell had been on her way to her job at a local pharmacy and was crossing Cheltenham Avenue near Mountain Avenue at the time of the accident, her mother, ValerieGeorge Powell, said.

Ms. Powell had delayed plans to enroll at Montgomery County Community College in October. However, she was looking forward to starting in January to work toward her goal of becoming a teacher.

“She enjoyed school and she loved being around children,” her mother said.

Morgan Powell was born Feb. 11, 2003, in Bucks County. She was the youngest of four children of Ambroze Powell, an automobile mechanic, and her mother, a social worker.

At Cheltenham High, Ms. Powell was president of the poetry club and enjoyed writing poetry and reading.

“Enthusiastic and encouraging, Morgan was a free spirit willing to be different and embrace the differences in others,” wrote Renato Lajara, her principal, in an email to Cheltenham district families. “In a world where so many of her classmates aimed for a different kind of attention, Morgan commanded it the moment she entered a room. Her laugh was infectious, and she had verve.”

She loved the beauty of nature and spent hours outdoors reading and writing, her family said

“She was very friendly, very loving, and had a beautiful smile and a beautiful laugh,” her mother said. “She just lit up the room. There was always a sweetness about her.”

Growing up, she studied dance at Philadanco, the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, where she took lessons in ballet and jazz for five years. She also studied piano for about two years. But she enjoyed singing more, her mother said.

At Bibleway Freeway Baptist Church of Mount Airy, where she had been a member of the church for more than a decade, Ms. Powell sang in the Angelic Youth Choir.

She also often volunteered to help in the church kitchen for the afternoon service.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Powell is survived by two sisters, one brother, her grandparents, an uncle, and other relatives and friends.

A public viewing is scheduled for 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, at Bibleway Freewill Baptist Church, 1201 E. Mount Pleasant Ave., 19150. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.