Joshua Powers didn't even wait to officially graduate from Conestoga Valley High School before going off to see the world.

While he eventually got a high school equivalency degree, the 27-year-old son of Church and Cathy Powers remained largely self-taught, learning about the world through voracious reading, travel and military stints in Korea and Afghanistan.

"He just had a thirst for understanding the world," his father said today.

For about the last two years, Powers had been working off and on with private security companies in Iraq, using his down time to travel. On Thursday, he was killed in Iraq when a security vehicle in which he was riding was struck head-on while guarding a truck convoy.

No other details about the accident were available.

"Millions of young men grew up playing soldier and he was playing until his last day," his father said.

Powers' international experience began at age 6, when he moved from Lancaster County to France, where his parents were — and still are — missionaries with BCM International.

Powers' grandfather, Marvin, a career military man, played a part in his military dreams, his father said.

"Every picture we have of him, his whole dream was to be a soldier," his father said.

Powers returned to Lancaster County from France to go to high school, attending Living Word Academy and Conestoga Valley High School. During that time he lived with his sister, Elizabeth, in a trailer on Millstream Road behind Rockvale Outlets.

Elizabeth Anneville, who is now living in France, said she treasures those "trailer days" for the time she got to spend with her brother, whom she looked up to despite his being four years younger.

"I always put my brother on a pedestal," Anneville said this morning.

Powers' other sister, Michelle Hildebrand, lives in Lancaster.

Anneville remembers her younger brother spreading out world maps and giving her impromptu lessons on geography and military strategy. She said he could have made a great diplomat.

"He just went too soon. There is just so much that I would have loved to see him become and do," she said.

Powers was attending Webster University in Thailand, studying international studies. He interrupted some exams there to return to Iraq for his latest assignment with a security firm, his father said.

While his father said Powers loved the camaraderie of military and security work, he also thought about getting out of it and going into the ministry.

"My son just really felt God's hand on his life, so he was getting out of security work," his father said.

Although he never worked in any kind of formal religious ministry, the Bob Dylan-loving Powers touched many people around the world, his father said.

Working with private security companies in Iraq left Powers with time to travel in between assignments. In recent days, condolences have been flooding in from India, Thailand and other places where he had visited and made friends, his father said.

We're getting letters from all over the world," he said.

While Powers made friends everywhere he went, his true devotion was closer to home, his father said.

"Josh poured his life into his sisters and his nieces," his father said.

In addition to giving him time to travel, Powers' security work in Iraq provided him a good salary, which he spread around generously.

Hildebrand recalled that her brother recently wired $1,000 to pay for a 4th birthday party for her daughter, Joy.

"I just adored him," she said.


Staff writer Chad Umble can be reached at cumble@LNPnews.com or 481-6031.