By SANDRA THAMES / Community Columnist

For the patients of Heart South Cardiovascular Group, LPN Renee Powell is a friendly, smiling nurse.

She is a product of her Southern upbringing with a comforting and encouraging way about her.

By having been with the group (Heart South) for 18 years, she knows much about her patient families, their heart histories, meds and even about their children and grandchildren.

“I love being a nurse and taking care of my patients when they are sick or afraid,” Powell said. “I always try to treat each patient as I would like to be treated. In today’s busy world it is rewarding to take time to explain a test or medicine to help the patient understand better so they can get healthy again.”

Powell graduated from Pelham High School in 1980.

When her daughters were 2 and 7years of age she attended Bessemer State Technical College and graduated with a License Practical Nursing degree in 1990.

After that she worked at Baptist Medical Center Montclair on the open heart step-down unit.

She then worked for the surgeons in the office for the next four years.

“At that time I decided to try something different so I chose pediatrics,” she said. “After five years I knew that my true calling was in cardiology and in 1999 I started work with the doctors who became the Heart South Cardiovascular Group.”

Powell was married on Feb. 14, 2006 to Doug Powell (now retired from Alabama Power, where he is known for his work with the “Renew Our Rivers” program).

They met when he came into the office for follow-up after aortic valve replacement.  The rest as they say is history. Their family includes Dr. Melissa Hill, an emergency medicine physician who is married with two children; Alana Turner, married with two children; Lisa Crocker, who also has two children; and David Powell, who is married with two children and is executive vice president of the Southeastern Lineman Training School.

Powell’s favorite family memory is of going to Alabama football games with her parents and grandparents.

“One day I want to retire and travel with my husband and just enjoy all of our grandchildren,” she said. “In the meantime I can continue to do what I love every day.”