Frances Roberta Powers

Frances Roberta (Bobbie) Powers, age 88 of Hammond, passed away April 17, 2014.  Frances was born on August 3, 1925 in Warren Township, the daughter of Leonard and Olive (Francis) Foster. She was raised in Hammond Township, graduating from Hammond High School.  On January 22, 1945, she was united in marriage to Thomas Powers at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hammond. This union would be blessed with seven children. She enjoyed working on the family farm and also devoted her time to raising her family. Later in life, she worked for twenty years for the American Heritage Care Center in Hammond as a nurse’s aide.

She cherished time spent as daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She loved life in the country, milking cows, driving tractor and tending her gardens. Later in life, she enjoyed working on needlepoint and cross-stitch. Traveling to 49 of the 50 states and Canada provided memories she could never have imaged. Her life was full and well lived.

Bobbie’s family includes her children Betty (Gary) Lessard, Gerry (Sonia) Powers, Marge Golat, daughter-in-law Lynn Powers, Reverend Jim Powers, Shirley (Dave) Arneson, Kathy (Paul) VanVoorhis; grandchildren Tonia Powers, Ryan (Jessica) Powers, Dan Golat, Matt (Samantha) Golat, Christy Arneson, Laurie (Wade) Schulz, Mark (Yanna) Arneson, Stephen Arneson, Thomas Arneson, Scott (Jessica) VanVoorhis, Brett (Stephanie) VanVoorhis, Dawn (Jesse) Cirillo; step grandchildren Dennis (Bonnie) Joriman, Barb Palmer, Carol Alden, Carrie (Ed) Golebiowski; great grandchildren, Gavin Golebiowski, Keaton Powers, Kenneth Beres, Brady Beres, Matthew Beres, Marianne Golat, Elena Schulz, Leif Eckhardt, Asher VanVoorhis, Sadie VanVoorhis; siblings Mary (Oliver) Erickson, Ellen Huck and Dorothy Wellens, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Thomas, son Bob, brother Jack Foster, and brothers-in-law Ed Huck and Larry Wellens.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00AM Tuesday, April 22 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hammond, with burial in the parish cemetery. Active casketbearers will be Ryan Powers, Dan Golat, Matt Golat, Mark Arneson, Stephen Arneson, Thomas Arneson, Scott VanVoorhis and Brett VanVoorhis. Honorary casketbearers will be Oliver Erickson and Gary Lessard. Visitation will be on Monday from 4PM to 7PM with a prayer service at 7:00PM at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Baldwin, as well as one hour prior to the mass at church on Tuesday morning.