Doris Jean Powers

December 30, 1921 - April 13, 2008

Spirited, intelligent and outgoing

Doris Jean Powers, aka DJ, Mom, Grammy, 86, died peacefully at home in Marysville on April 13, 2008.

DJ was born to Jesse and Esther Hancock on December 30, 1921, near Marion, Kansas. She was the second child of their family, which eventually included six children. The family moved around a lot, and DJ and some of her siblings went to several different schools in Kansas. DJ was a very spirited, intelligent and outgoing person, and had many friends and unusual accomplishments in her childhood. She was the first girl to take woodshop in high school. She attended the first Girls’ State held in Kansas. She graduated from Lamont High School in 1939.

Three years later, DJ was working as one of the first female welders at Boeing’s Wichita plant. She and the other girls in this inaugural program to train girl welders were featured in a story in the Wichita paper. Helping with the war effort was their top priority. While working at Boeing, she met the love of her life, Lewis Eugene (Gene to the family) Powers. They were married shortly thereafter, on October 4, 1942, at her parents’ Plainville home. They moved around quite a bit, too, while he was in the Army. Then they settled in Manhattan, Kansas, on the Old Powers land, sharing with his brother, Felix. They had much fun and eight children together. The family moved from Kansas to Washington state in 1955, first, briefly, to Pasco, then to Renton. There was a story in the Renton Chronicle about the family’s arrival. The youngest Powers child was born in Renton the next year.

DJ was a Cub Scout den mother, Girl Scout leader, and teacher of many crafts, life skills, and anything else she could do to further the betterment of her children and their friends. Her family eventually included eight sons and daughters-in-law, and twenty-eight grandchildren. DJ and Gene traveled the USA and Canada together, with and without assorted children and grandchildren, for many years. She was always making something. She knitted, crocheted, sewed, embroidered, and otherwise fabricated many wonderful gifts for everyone she knew for the rest of her life. She cared for Gene during the few years he fought lymphoma. He died in November of 1984. Then, she cared for her own mother, aided by daughter Jill, until our grandmother died in 1993.

DJ suffered from ill health all her life, and was bedridden in her home for the last ten years that she lived. She was cared for by: granddaughter Jamie and her husband, Bryan Rich; daughter Joleen and son-in-law Jay Gearon; with help from the Seattle hospice program, after her last hospital stay in 2001. She was moved to Marysville to live with and be cared for by son Jim and daughter-in-law Phyllis last year, gaining many new friends in the Snohomish County hospice program. The Seattle P.I. ran a story on Mom’s homemade and decorated coffin, and her other groundbreaking burial choices.

DJ leaves a very large and loving family, including sons Jim (Phyllis) and Jack (Denise); daughters Janice (David), Judy (Mark), Joleen (Jay), Jane (Gil) and Jill (Gary); her sister, Linda; brother, Dwight; brothers and sisters-in-law; and many nieces and nephews;. So far, there are 20 great-grandchildren. She also left behind a great many friends, as everyone who met her became her friend.

She was preceded to Heaven by our dad, in 1984, and our beloved brother, Jesse David, in 2005.

Funeral Information

A memorial service will be held on April 27, at 4:00 PM at the Victory Foursquare Gospel Church in Marysville, 11911 Smokey Point Blvd (just north of 116th). It will be a very casual, unstructured event, with a potluck meal to follow.

Donations Information

Remembrances may be made to Providence Hospice of Seattle (Renton) at 425 Pontius Ave. N. Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98109-5452, or call 206-320-4000 -- or to Providence Hospice of Snohomish County 2731 Wetmore Suite 500 Everett WA 98201..

Donations Link:

Providence Hospice of Seattle Foundation

Directions

Service:  Map to Victory Foursquare Church

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