John Powers, a native of Fort Worth obtained baccalaureate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and its school of law before entering private law practice in Austin. After serving twenty-three years as a justice and senior justice, he retired from the Austin Court of Appeals in 2004. He continues to reside in Austin with his wife Deborah. Deborah Powers is also a University of Texas graduate and was a Certified Public Accountant. She worked for the State of Texas as the plan administrator for the state's two deferred compensation plans and as a supervising auditor. She was also a research analyst for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Powers have two daughters, both graduates of Texas A & M University, and they currently reside in Austin and Bastrop.
From the guide to the Inventory of the John and Deborah Powers Papers: Early Texas Art and Artists-research collection: TXAS MSS 00157., 1910-1999., (Cushing Memorial Library)
