Ellen Earlene Powell

Ellen Earlene Powell 

June 16, 1938 – August 1, 2020 

Oakmont Memorial 

Officiating:  Pastor Doug Davidson  

Ellen Earlene Powell (June 16, 1938 – August 1, 2020) was born in Corsicana, Texas. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Powell, and brothers Loyd (Lucy), and Tommie (Ayako) Allen, and her sister Kathy (Kim Flottum) Summers. She leaves many nieces and nephews and surrogate grandchildren, that will miss her deeply. She has a huge circle of close friends that will also miss her.  

Ellen was the oldest child in the family so she was also the co-parent to the two youngest while their Mom was working at night. She raised them in her image as caring people. People who help others. People who also need others. Others to love. Others to help. Others to raise and pass along the caring life that Ellen taught.  

When the family’s mother remarried, they all moved from the Texas panhandle to the much different world of northern California. Gardens and grass, people of all shapes and sizes, but still, more than enough people to care for.  

Ellen’s life was all about caring for others, at work as a nurse in a variety of locations and positions, but always looking out for those in need. And when not being a nurse at work, she was a caregiver for her family, her friends and her associates. And for her mother when her life was ending. All day, all night, all the time.  

She married and produced a daughter when she was quite young, so now she had another who she mothered. This child stayed near Ellen all of her life, helping with home, helping with holidays and being friend and family.  

The Ohio nephews were special. There were few children right in her life, so these special people got all she had for family. She visited, called and shared with them all of the time they were small. “Auntie” was that one person in their lives that was golden. 

She had interests other than family, of course – the local credit union business and people and work and friends. Her caring showed in her volunteering flu shots each year, a good nurse, a good and steady hand and always a smile for each person she protected. She shared her life with friends, and they shared theirs with her, at dinners, at parties, on holidays, on birthdays and anniversaries and any time they needed an extra hug. Especially the children. 

And she had her music, with a heavenly soprano voice to share what she knew. Whether hymns in church, country, rock and roll, opera, she knew the tune, knew the words and knew the music. She knew it as well as she knew her favorite movies, movie stars, and TV programs she relaxed to. While reading, of course.  

And her life made other lives better. And that is what we all are supposed to do, isn’t it? But she made it look so easy, so fun, so much more than better. She had good times, and some not so good. But she laughed, and sang and hugged and cared. There is no doubt, lovin’ her was easier than anything we’ll ever do again. 

In lue of flowers or tree planting please make a donation to  https://arflife.org/  or https://www.cancer.org/

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