1918
Ethel
2010
Ethel Powless
October 27, 1918 — November 7, 2010
Ethel Norine Powless, age 92, of Berlin, passed away on Sunday, November 7, 2010, at Juliette Manor Nursing Home in Berlin, WI, with her family at her side.
Ethel was born on October 27, 1918, at home in Owanka, SD, to John A. and Mary A. (Roushmann) Maxwell. She attended school in Owanka for 12 years, then attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD, and later, Pestalozzi-Froebel Teachers in Chicago, IL. Ethel began her career as a school teacher in a one room country school at Porcupine, SD, and at Wounded Knee, SD. She also taught in Illinois and was a teacher’s aide after returning to Wisconsin. Ethel lived in Wounded Knee, SD, Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago Ridge, IL, before coming back to Wisconsin in 1963 to live in Redgranite. Ethel met and married Clarence Powless in 1941. You may have known Ethel as a tax preparer as she and her late husband had opened the first H&R Block franchise in Berlin, but her true love was education, teaching and books. She was a life member of the National Parent-Teachers Association in IL; National Organization of Episcopalians for Life, and the national Organization of Tax Preparers while in Wisconsin. She was an active member at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church in Oak Lawn, IL, and at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ripon, WI, was active in ECW, church school, altar guild, and vacation bible school. Ethel was an avid reader, enjoyed knitting afghans and dishcloths, enjoyed growing flowers and caring for them. She gave many afghans away to family and friends of all ages. She had a sense of humor and was a loyal friend.
Survivors include her two daughters, Rachel (Jim) Osborne of Santa Claus, IN; Grace (Jeff) Musser of Denver, CO, and one daughter-in-law, Maureen Powless of Redgranite, WI, nine grandchildren, Joel (Agi) Powless of New Lenox, IL; Mark (Terri) Powless of Franklin, WI; Carla (Todd) Kellett of Lodi, IL; Tom(Jaime) Osborne of Evansville, IN; Sarah (Dan) Grelecki of Indianapolis, IN; James Osborne of Santa Claus, IN; Chad (Renee) Sage of Bend, OR; Dennis Sage of Denver, CO; and Max Sage of Darby, MT, 11 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clarence in 2003 after 61 years of marriage; an infant daughter, Norine; and one son, John; one infant granddaughter, Michelle; three brothers and 5 sisters.
The family would like to thank Juliette Manor and Agnesian Hospice for taking good care of our Mom and Grandmother in her final days.
A memorial mass will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ripon, WI, on Thursday, November 11, 2010, at 11:00 am, Father Thomas H. McAlpine will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Augustine’s Center for American Indians Inc., 4512 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL. 60640
Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon, is assisting the family.
www.butzinmarchant.com
Ethel was born on October 27, 1918, at home in Owanka, SD, to John A. and Mary A. (Roushmann) Maxwell. She attended school in Owanka for 12 years, then attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD, and later, Pestalozzi-Froebel Teachers in Chicago, IL. Ethel began her career as a school teacher in a one room country school at Porcupine, SD, and at Wounded Knee, SD. She also taught in Illinois and was a teacher’s aide after returning to Wisconsin. Ethel lived in Wounded Knee, SD, Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago Ridge, IL, before coming back to Wisconsin in 1963 to live in Redgranite. Ethel met and married Clarence Powless in 1941. You may have known Ethel as a tax preparer as she and her late husband had opened the first H&R Block franchise in Berlin, but her true love was education, teaching and books. She was a life member of the National Parent-Teachers Association in IL; National Organization of Episcopalians for Life, and the national Organization of Tax Preparers while in Wisconsin. She was an active member at St. Raphael’s Episcopal Church in Oak Lawn, IL, and at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ripon, WI, was active in ECW, church school, altar guild, and vacation bible school. Ethel was an avid reader, enjoyed knitting afghans and dishcloths, enjoyed growing flowers and caring for them. She gave many afghans away to family and friends of all ages. She had a sense of humor and was a loyal friend.
Survivors include her two daughters, Rachel (Jim) Osborne of Santa Claus, IN; Grace (Jeff) Musser of Denver, CO, and one daughter-in-law, Maureen Powless of Redgranite, WI, nine grandchildren, Joel (Agi) Powless of New Lenox, IL; Mark (Terri) Powless of Franklin, WI; Carla (Todd) Kellett of Lodi, IL; Tom(Jaime) Osborne of Evansville, IN; Sarah (Dan) Grelecki of Indianapolis, IN; James Osborne of Santa Claus, IN; Chad (Renee) Sage of Bend, OR; Dennis Sage of Denver, CO; and Max Sage of Darby, MT, 11 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clarence in 2003 after 61 years of marriage; an infant daughter, Norine; and one son, John; one infant granddaughter, Michelle; three brothers and 5 sisters.
The family would like to thank Juliette Manor and Agnesian Hospice for taking good care of our Mom and Grandmother in her final days.
A memorial mass will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ripon, WI, on Thursday, November 11, 2010, at 11:00 am, Father Thomas H. McAlpine will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Augustine’s Center for American Indians Inc., 4512 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL. 60640
Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home, Ripon, is assisting the family.
www.butzinmarchant.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ethel Powless, please visit our flower store.
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