Obituary of Mary Ellen Powers

Mary Ellen Powers, beloved mother and grandmother, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Mother’s Day, May 12th, 2024 after a brief illness. She was a woman of fierce faith who believed wholly in the power of prayer and the vital importance and support inherent in being a member of a strong religious community.

Mary Ellen was born prematurely with her twin sister, Margaret Helen, at home in Florence, New York on November 25th, 1947 in the middle of a blinding snowstorm. She attended a one-room school house where she, as she cheekily told her grandchildren, walked home and ate ice cream for lunch each day for the entirety of her 6 years in attendance. After graduating from Camden High School in 1965, she continued her education at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York and then began working as a receptionist in the office of her future father-in-law, Dr. Edward E. Powers. In 1975, Mary Ellen and her former spouse, Michael Timothy, moved to Nimes, France where they spent four years, and she wowed the locals with her made-from-scratch chocolate cake.

Upon returning to the United States, Mary Ellen and Tim welcomed a daughter, Veronica Rose Powers, on January 8, 1981. Preceded by many miscarriages and upon a complicated birth, Mary Ellen referred to Veronica as her “miracle baby”. Mary Ellen’s love for her child knew no bounds. She doted on her daughter, spoiled her with elaborate Christmas and Easter celebrations, and showered her with daily and nightly prayers throughout her lifetime.

While raising Veronica, Mary Ellen attended Mohawk Valley Community College. She graduated with her Nursing Degree on May 19th, 1987 and received her license as a Registered Nurse from New York State that same year. Throughout her professional life, she worked the night shift at several local hospitals, most of her career being spent in the Intensive Care Unit in Rome. Mary Ellen was an incredibly caring and attentive nurse. She did so much more than provide medical attention; she truly served her ailing patients and their families and treated them with the kindness, dignity, and respect that each and every human who is suffering deserves.

Former colleagues describe her as having been “a wonderful woman and nurse”, “the picture of professionalism”, and “the hardest and most reliable” person they have ever known.

Much of Mary Ellen’s life was centered in being a devout Catholic. She was more than just an active member of Saint Paul’s Catholic Church - she was part of its DNA. Mary Ellen could be found at almost every church function, from lectoring and serving as a Eucharistic Minister at Sunday and daily masses to teaching for many years in the Religious Education program and conducting Bible Study. In addition, she served as the sacristan for weekday masses and was a member of both the choir and the Catholic Daughters of America. Outside of church, she enjoyed golfing and skiing, watching NCIS and tennis (particularly Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer), and rooting for the Yankees. She loved listening to Elvis, enjoying the fresh air and a swim at Lake Delta and Green Lakes State Park, and spending Sunday evenings with special friends. In her final days, she took great joy in the simple things, especially the occasional milkshake her family would sneak into her hospital room or pick up on the way home from appointments. She said they “tasted like heaven”.