Rita Powers

Rita Elizabeth Powers was born September 9, 1925, the daughter of Nicolas and Hilda Van Erdewyk Loew. She passed away on Monday, October 31, 2011, at the Denison Care Center in Denison, Iowa, at the age of eighty-six.
Rita was born in Maple River, Iowa, receiving her education in the St. Ann Catholic High School in Vail, Iowa. She furthered her education in Missouri Valley, Iowa, and taught rural school near Vail, Iowa. She was united in marriage to Jack Powers on December 30, 1952, at St. Ann Catholic Church in Vail and to this union was born seven children. Rita was a bookkeeper at the Irwin Livestock Auction until 1975 and then went to work for her husband Jack in his cattle buying business.
Rita was a very caring, compassionate wife, mother, and grandmother who loved to spend time with her family. She was a busy lady keeping books for the family business and raising her family. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed socializing with friends and playing cards with her card groups. She enjoyed watching Jack play poker and traveled numerous miles with him on cattle buying trips. Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and watching soap operas were some favorite activities she did in her spare time. She was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and faithfully attended mass daily.

She was preceded in death by her parents one grandson, Jeremyand one sister, Irma. Survivors include her husband, Jack; four sons: John; James; Tom and his wife, Sherry; Nick; three daughters: Mary Ann and husband, DeRyan; Patricia and her husband, Kenard; and Gerri Ann and her husband, Keith; eleven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; five sisters: Esther; Phyllis; Ruth; Helen and her husband, Don; Betty and her husband, Leon; one brother, Bob; one brother-in-law, Gilbert; and other relatives and friends.