Lela May Powers

| November 15, 2017

Lela May Powers, 88, of Dill City, OK, formerly of Rimersburg, PA, passed away Friday, October 27, 2017.

She was born Mar, h 24, 1929 in a farmhouse southwest of Rimersburg, PA. Her parents were John D. “Danny” and Mary Elizabeth (Elder) Mortimer, and she was the seventh in a family of ten children.

In 1947, Lela graduated as valedictorian of her class in the commercial course.

She never had any trouble getting a job and worked in many different offices, beginning with the Clarion State Teachers College registrar’s office, Union Joint School office and University of Pittsburgh Dean of Men’s office. While working at the high school, she spent her summers working at a resort hotel on Chautauqua Lake in New York State.

From schools, she went to industry at the Blaw-Knox Construction purchasing office, Fisher Scientific Company warehouse, and James H. Matthews Printing and Dies sales office.

She became tired of big city life and, because of increased pressure and strife where she worked, resigned in 1960 and moved to Prescott, AZ, where she worked in a Ford garage.

When there was a change in management, she moved to Kingman and was hired as the head bookkeeper in a new bank, First Navajo National.

From there, she went to work for Dr. Arthur A. Arnold as a receptionist-bookkeeper.

When a new office for Farmers Home Administration opened in Kingman, she was hired as the county office clerk.

She transferred to Flagstaff and then to Buckeye.

In Buckeye, she met Bob and Freida Powers in the conservative Baptist Church. After Freida’s death, Lela married Bob on November 15, 1975. In June of 1983, they moved to Dill City, OK, where Bob passed away December 18, 1986.

Lela was active in the First Baptist Church in Dill City.

She also served as president and in other offices in the local AARP and was a member of the county extension homemakers for 10 years.

When she was 68 years old, she learned to fly an airplane. She enjoyed painting, needlework, reading, gardening and traveling.

She is survived by her brother, Ralph and Barbara Mortimer, of Butler, PA; 29 nieces and nephews and their children; and step-daughters, Novella McKee, of Farmington, NM, Yvonne Carlise, of Phoenix, AZ, and Doris Fightmaster, of Maricopa, AZ, their spouses, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lela was preceded in death by her parents; loving husband, Robert Powers; one step-daughter; one step-great-granddaughter; three brothers; five sisters; and three nephews.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until the time of the Memorial Service at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 18, 2017, at the Bauer-Hillis Funeral Home, 758 Main Street, Rimersburg, PA 16248 with Rev. Craig W. Peterson officiating.

Burial will be in Rimersburg Cemetery, Rimersburg, PA.

Online condolences may be made at bauerfuneral.com.


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Category: Obituaries