Elaine Ann Powers, 91, of Flandreau, SD, passed away on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at United Living Community in Brookings, SD.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Flandreau, SD. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at Skroch Funeral Chapel in Flandreau, SD.
Our mom, Elaine Ann Powers, was born May 8, 1932. She grew up on a farm north of Flandreau the only child of Carl and Violet Larson.
Mom started her education at Vance country school and rode her horse to get there. She was at a Valentine party at school when their house burned down and they lived in a chicken coop until her dad brought in a house from town. After country school she attended Flandreau High School. She rode the bus to school and met the love of her life, Mark. She went on to attend Augustana College and got her degree in education. She taught one year at Bell country school then married Dad and was a wife and mother. She returned to teaching, and taught music at Spafford Elementary. It was always fun for her when a former student would visit with her and share a memory from her class.
Mom and Dad were married November 22, 1953. They farmed north of Flandreau. Mom liked to sew and knit, garden and can, fill her flower beds, cook and bake. Mom used her wooden spoon to cook and to discipline. One of the first Bible verses we learned was, “Get thee behind me Satan” which we said often. She even raised chickens once, just once. While Mom was at the neighbor’s farm butchering the chickens, Dad cleaned out the coop and moved in his tools. No more chickens.
We were blessed to grow up watching their marriage and love for each other, our marriages have been blessed by their example. They were wonderful parents, a balance of the seventh in a line of Irish children and an only child (“Don’t let them get hurt Mark.”) Mom lost dad when he was 53. She has missed him so much for 38 years, now they are both home and together again. We wish we could have seen their reunion, a great love to last through eternity.
Her faith was her anchor. She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran church where she taught Sunday School and Sunday School Music, directed church choirs, and sang in them too. She loved to sing and Mom always sang to us at bedtime after our prayers. She sang, “Children of the Heavenly Father” and our favorite, “Beautiful Savior”. She passed her faith to us and we now live that faith and are blessed by it. Thank you, Mom, for guiding us in our faith and gift of eternal life.
She went home on September 16, 2023. We know she’s happy, healthy, whole, and with her Savior. Best of all, she’s with Daddy and we’ll all be together again one day.
Missing her here are her family:
Brenda and Bob Byrnes, Marshall, MN, and their daughter Bridget, and her husband Matt (Remfert) and daughters Quinn, Kennedy and Laine (her namesake) and their son Brian Byrnes.
Marda and Dan Olson, Flandreau, SD, their son Jordan Olson and his wife Shanna and daughter Mataya. Logan Olson and his wife Bobbi and their daughters Sloan, Emersyn and Ellie. Their daughter Whitney Entzel and her husband Dustin and children Ryker and Pyper.
Steve and Joy Powers Edgely, ND, their daughters Melissa (Eric) Marcotte and her son Mark Marsalek. Their son Jon Powers and his wife Jennifer and daughters Madison and Faith.
She was also blessed with many friends.
Waiting for her in Heaven were Mark, her parents Carl and Violet and her baby brother, David.
We love you, Mom.