Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 1:06 AM CST

While he was growing up, Ted Powell told his dad he would either like to pursue a career as a music director or a funeral director.

His father quickly told him to go into music instead of working funerals.

Now, following a 32-year career as a music instructor — including a 20-year caree working with musicians in the Yankton School District (YSD) — Powell has turned to his other passion — working funerals.

Powell now works for the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Yankton as a family service counselor.

Although he retired, Powell said he still wanted something to occupy his time.

“I retired from working as a band director and I really needed something to do and I wasn’t quite ready to be a greeter and give out carts at Wal-Mart,” Powell said. “I wanted something to do and I wanted to do something fulfilling.”

“Because I have known Kevin (Opsahl) for a long time, I trust him and his family implicitly so I said yes and decided to work along side him at the funeral home,” Powell said.

Kevin Opsahl, Funeral Director and owner of Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home, said he’s enjoyed having Powell on the staff.

“He spent some time getting used to his role here and he’s been fitting in really well,” Opsahl said. “He’s always had a desire to serve with funeral services, and after he retired this desire was realized for him.”

Powell started out at Opsahl-Kostel in August and helped with visitations and then working funerals as an employee. After a few months had passed, he began to work with funeral pre-arrangements and helping people that come into the funeral home to make their final plans.

“I had to start studying so I could take the Insurance Producer test, which I passed, and am now licensed in South Dakota and Nebraska,” he said. “I really enjoy helping people make their final decisions. I get to help people line up how they see their funeral service happening and what they would like to have happen at their funeral.”

Powell added that people sometimes feel relieved that the plans are in place and the survivors and their children won’t have to arrange a funeral after they pass away.

“When people come in to arrange their final plans, it can be as simple as them filling out a sheet with what they would like to have done,” he said. “They can also pay for everything up front to make it easier on their survivors. A lot of people that come in are relieved that their kids won’t have to arrange anything.”

Although Powell said he enjoys his new job at Opsahl-Kostel, he admitted there are still a number of things he misses about working as a band director.

“I miss seeing kids all the time at school,” he said. “But I did have a great 32-year career and really enjoyed teaching in the Yankton School District. I had 20 years of outstanding kids here and making outstanding music.”

Powell said he enjoyed traveling with his students all over the United States to concerts and summer shows, but added it was time to do something new.

“It was a really tough decision for me to retire, and I thought about it for a year,” he said. “I had a friend tell me if it isn’t fun anymore, don’t do it. While the job was still fun, I felt as if it was time for someone else to have the opportunity to be the band director in Yankton.”

Powell added that although there are a lot of differences between the two positions, working as while director has prepared him for his new job.

“The main similarity is that when you teach, you’re working with the public so you know how to talk to people and how to approach people,” he said. “However, the position I was in when I worked in the school district had a lot of competitions and contests which really doesn’t occur working for Opsahl-Kostel.”

Powell said he has no regrets with taking the position any sooner than he did.

“If my career wasn’t as successful as it was, I may have said I made a mistake by not working here sooner,” he said. “But I don’t feel as if that was the case.”

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