John E. Powell, a guard on Tennessee’s 1951 national championship football team and who played on the last team Gen. Robert Neyland coached, died Thursday night in Lexington, Ky.

Mr. Powell, 73, suffered in recent years from diabetes.

After graduating from UT, Mr. Powell was a purchasing agent for Tucker Steel Corp., was chairman of the board for Jensen Corp and later worked with his brother Frank, owner of Powell Erection Co.

The native of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn., played defensive guard in 1951 and switched to offense the following season. He was a starter in 1953. Frank Powell was an assistant athletic trainer to Mickey O’Brien during those years.

The 1951 team played in the Sugar Bowl and the Vols went to the Cotton Bowl after the ’52 season. Before coming to UT John Powell played at Columbia Military Academy.

He is survived by daughters Dr. Linda Sanders of Lexington, Amy Dee Pasquale of Denver; son Douglas Powell of Los Angeles; brothers Frank and Wray Powell of Knoxville; and sisters Juanita Newkirk, Tullahoma; Dorothy Donnelly, Nashville; Margaret Beekman, Tyler, Texas; Ruth Edwards, Nashville; Helen Mendenhall, Dayton, Ohio.

The family will receive friends 5-8 p.m. Monday at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home in Lexington. A memorial service will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Beaumont Presbyterian Church,