Margaret Abell Powell, 85, charity volunteer

Margaret Abell Powell of Chevy Chase, a charity volunteer, died Thursday at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., of complications from pulmonary fibrosis. She was 85.

A native of Detroit, she was the great-granddaughter of Arunah S. Abell, who founded The Sun in 1837.

Mrs. Powell graduated from Connecticut College in 1939 and moved to Washington, D.C.

During World War II, she worked for the American Red Cross, and later for Courtesy Associates, a telephone answering and event planning service. While at Courtesy, she helped organize the annual Azalea Festival in Norfolk, Va.

In 1966, she married John Eric Powell, an attorney who is retired. She continued to volunteer for numerous charities.

A funeral is scheduled at noon today at Little Flower Roman Catholic Church in Bethesda.

In addition to her husband, survivors include a stepdaughter, Patricia Powell Smith of North Bethesda; stepsons John Edward Powell of Rockville and Gregory Vincent Powell of Bethesda; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.