Norma Evelyn nee' Dillemuth Powel, 91, devoted wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. She fell in love with her life-long partner, John S. Powel, whom she married June 25, 1949. She graduated from Millard Fillmore Class of ’48 as a Registered Nurse. She truly loved nursing, regaling all who would listen with stories from the operating room. When the couple moved to Garden City, NY; she balanced raising her 2 daughters with a high school nursing position where she put battered athletes back together.
Norma loved to travel. An early retirement to Merritt Island in 1976 afforded her time to see every continent except Antarctica. Norma was a volunteer courier at Wuestoff Hospital and a devoted member of her church choir. She will be remembered for her love of faith, friends and family.
Survived by daughters, Jane of New York, and Barbara and husband, Troy Powers of Georgia; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, March 25 at the Epiphany Lutheran Church, 2375 Highway 20 SE, Conyers, GA 30013.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
A eulogy by her daughter, Jane:
Mom
Hello Everyone and thank you for coming.
Of course I have been thinking deeply about my mother and her life since her passing on Weds. I wondered, as I chronicled her activities: how did the choices she made reveal who she really was, and how did that person influence me?
I thought about the powerful history she lived through from the Great Depression, through WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, the Cold War, the Space Age, the Gene Age, the Information Age, 9/11, the Recession of ’08 and the launching the Space X Dragon a few weeks ago. She would have watched and felt the impact of that rocket with great excitement had she been living in her condo in Florida.
Then I realized she could be summarized by minds greater than mine:
1. Shakespeare
2. Dr. Seuss
3. James Joyce
4. Monty Python
First,
Shakespeare asks “What’s in a name?” Barb told me Norma means Model. This is fascinating, as she really embraced norms, vows, and discipline in her life. She had a very strong faith, remained married to the same man for 59 years, the last 10 of which required her constant care because of Alzheimer’s.
She also modelled the wide array of roles a woman may play during her life on Earth.
Before the Feminist movement, she was doing it all. She took care of her husband and children, maintained the house, worked as a registered nurse, and traveled the world.
This brings me to Dr. Seuss.
“Oh the places you’ll go!”
My mother moved fast and often. She was a speed walker, hard to keep up with.
Every day she walked the mall for exercise. And afterward she loved to shop!
She went to church every Sunday, including Weds during Lent.
She went to a bowling league, and Canasta club with the Girls every Tuesday.
She went to the Garden City Pool every day during the summer.
She attended as many births, baptisms, confirmations, graduations and sports events of her grandchildren as she possibly could. She tobogganed and fished with them. Then she went home to tell all who would listen how intelligent, talented and beautiful they all were!
She went to China and spoke to the students in Tianamen Square the night before they were killed.
She traveled to every continent except Antarctica.
James Joyce
Portrait of the Nurse as a Young Woman would reveal a little girl who was her father’s favorite. She was the one whom her brother and sister would beg to intervene on their behalf with him. Her dad had spent time in an orphanage, and her mom left school after 8th grade.
Norma was determined to graduate with a degree in Nursing.
She grew up in Buffalo and camped on Grand Island. She swam in the icy waters of the Niagara River. She married the love of her life in 1949 and moved to LI. They bought a house for $100 down with the GI Bill, bought a dachshund puppy, and settled down to raise a family. But no babies would come.
Norma’s health issues prevented conception so they began the adoption process.
My mother told my sister and I that we were special because she specifically chose us whereas other parents take what they are given. On a $3000 per year teaching salary they fixed up the house and moved to a new house in GC. Then they bought waterfront property in Florida for $8000 and built another new home. Finally, off to a new condo. Retired at age 49 on half salary and traveled the world. Wow! Thrift and planning, balancing friends, family, work and play. A wonderful life!
Putting the positive spin on things…
Monty Python. Eric Idle sings “Always stay on the bright side of Life!”
Norm loved to laugh. She laughed constantly. She was almost always smiling when she was talking. And she talked a lot!
Whenever adversity hit, she pushed through it with a vengeance.
She had 2 major surgeries: one when I was 7, another when I was 10. Later a quadruple bypass and a dangerous fall. Like the inflatable clown with the sandbag in the base---
You could knock her down, but she always bounced back up.
Whenever I was worried, scared, angry or sad, she would always point out the upside of the situation.
I am sure she is telling me now, don’t be sad, I am back with Dad!
How fortunate are Barb and I that God picked a mother named Norma.
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