Mary Zern Powell

Heaven is joyfully embracing the welcoming of Mary Z. Powell from Leander, Texas. Mary lived a great and full life and passed away peacefully at the age of 96.5. She was born July 30,1927 and died February 09, 2024. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Maryl and Ervin Zern. She is also predeceased by her brother Jack; her brother-in-law Luke; and her son-in-law Bill B. She is survived by her 5 children: Lori, John, Rick, Bill and Nancy, their spouses, 14 grandkids and 5 great grandkids, as well as her sister Andrea and sister-in-law Joyce. Mary grew up in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and raised her kids in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and they summered in Apple Valley, Ohio. She then spent the rest of her life in Texas. She had many nicknames; Mother Mary, Lady, Grammie, but Mom being her favorite. She lived for and loved being a mom and creating great home experiences for her kids and their many friends. She truly was the greatest of ‘mom and home’, creating so many amazing experiences and memories. Mary loved animals almost as much as she loved her kids and she had many dogs and cats as pets over the years, adding to the full family life. Her Ft. Wayne childhood was blessed in many ways and the family still owns that property. From her first car ride in a Studebaker to horseback riding lessons to riding the “Queen Mary” to England, she was always going places. She never was idle and was so busy getting things done, she won a special award in her 1st job. As the kids started coming, she was fulfilled. Events like packing us the night before summer trips in the wood paneled station wagon, to pulling us bumper hitching, to making great food for us, she was always ready to go. Mom was always the loudest cheerer at all our many sports events. She went on to claim that award at the Browns games where they were season ticket holders for many years. While she truly lived for raising kids, she thrived around the many grandkids. Shauna and Ryan, Nicole, Lindsay, Zach, Natalie and Cassidy, Alexis and Asher, Dru and Julia, Bennett, Lauren and Kyle. So many great memories have been created around these special grandkid times in Texas and on lake home trips. As the grandkids start to grow and have their own kids, the love and traditions of Grammie will continue.

There will be a celebration of her life this summer, to take place on a Texas lake home around her birthday to honor her. If you so desire, please give a gift of money or your time to your local humane society in Mary’s memory.