Joan Scollan Powers

AUBURN | Joan Scollan Powers, 88, beloved wife, aunt, grand-aunt, great-grand-aunt, godmother, church and community volunteer, friend, neighbor, storekeeper, letter writer, and a resident of the Edward T. Boyle Center, Auburn, formerly of Route 34, Scipio Center, died on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

Joan was born in Auburn on Oct. 8, 1926, the seventh child of Frank J. and Bridget Mary McGrath Scollan. Joan attended St. Mary's grammar school on Clark Street. She fondly remembers that in the seventh and eighth grades she worked the soda fountain in Weld's Drug Store on the corner of Genesee and State Street. She happily recalls her first boss was John Murphy.

Joan attended Holy Family High School on North Street in Auburn. While in high school, she kept up her budding business career by working the soda fountain at Whalen's Drug Store. After graduating in 1944, Joan attended Auburn Business School and worked at Murray's Restaurant on South Street for Fred and Ed Murray. Upon graduating from business school, Joan went to work for William E. Bouley Company where she worked for nine years prior to her marriage.

On May 15, 1954, Joan married Jack Powers, of Scipio Center, N.Y., in St. Mary's Church in Auburn, with Msgr. William T. Cowen officiating. From that time on, Jack and Joan ran Powers Red & White Store in Scipio. Jack died in June 1997 and Joan closed the store in March 1998. Joan was a parishioner of Good Shepherd Catholic Community, formerly St. Bernard's Church in Scipio. Joan belonged to Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, The Ladies Auxiliary of the Scipio Volunteer Fire Department, and St. Bernard's Rosary Society. Joan was always active in church and community affairs. Joan enjoyed countless fun-filled gatherings as a member of the Scipio Morning Coffee Club which began in 1988.

On June 5, 1999, the Cayuga Masonic Lodge honored Joan as recipient of the prestigious DeWitt Clinton award given to non-Masons who have demonstrated exceptional voluntary service to their communities. At a ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 29, 2013, Auburn's Neighborhood House unveiled "The Joan Powers Butterfly Wing" named for Joan for her continuous efforts to collect "pennies" for the organization which is dedicated to helping the community's children. Joan took special pride in the fact that Neighborhood House has the ability to care for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Joan believed every little bit counts. Joan lived by a favorite quote from Mother Theresa, "Do small things with great love."

Joan is survived by her sister-in-law, Frances Scollan, of Auburn. Joan is also survived by nephews and nieces: very special nephew, Terry Scott, of Auburn, Connie (Joe) Scollan, of Auburn, Frank (Patricia) Scollan, of Endicott, John (Kathy) Scollan, of Auburn, Mary (Barbara) Scollan, of Rochester, Margaret (Bill) Stuart, Elizabeth (Roger) Watney, of Anchor Point, Alaska, Michael (Terri) Scollan, of Auburn, Jean (John) Rowley, of Spencer, N.Y., Patty (David) Willenbrock, of Somerville, N.J., James (Carol) House, of Port Angeles, Ore., Sergey (Kathy) Scollan, of Virginia, Michael (Ellen) Powers, of Watertown, Patrick (Dawn) Powers, of Penfield, Nancy Goodwin, of Watertown, Jack Bangs, of Nantucket, Mass., Daniel (Michaele) Bangs, of Skaneateles, Patricia Bangs, of Ithaca, Jeffrey (Anne) Bangs, of Ithaca, Sue Bangs, of Cape Cod, Mass., Timothy (LouAnn) Bangs, of Ithaca, Kevin (Jackie) Bangs, of Ithaca, Thomas (Beverly Ludke) Cummings, of Pittsford, N.Y., Gregory Cummings, of Pittsford, N.Y., Daniel (Danielle) Cummings, of Syracuse, Molly (David Rose) Cummings, of York, N.Y., Christopher (Roseanne) Bourke, of Auburn, and Margaret Bourke, of Fayetteville, N.Y.

Joan is loved and survived her by numerous grand and great-nephews and nieces, by her many godchildren, and by her many, many friends in Scipio Center and Auburn. Joan was a prolific letter writer with many correspondent friends throughout the country.

In addition to her parents, Joan was predeceased by her brothers, Frank, Edward, David, and Paul Scollan, all of Auburn; sisters, Elizabeth (Herbert) House, of Auburn, and Mary (Paul) Scott, of Aurora; sisters-in-law, Jane (Gordon) Cummings, of King Ferry, Rita (John) Bangs, of Ithaca, Susan (Norman) Bourke, of Auburn, and Nina (Paul) Scollan, of Auburn; brothers-in-law, William Powers of Scipio Center and Joseph (Jane) Powers of Watertown; nephews, Joseph Scollan and Brian Bourke, of Auburn, and beloved god-daughter, Mary Ann Nolan Franklin, of King Ferry.

Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15 at Farrell's Funeral Service Inc., 84 South St., Auburn. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 16 in St. Mary's Church in Auburn.

In lieu of flowers, please consider offering masses or donations in Joan's name to Good Shepherd Catholic Community (St. Patrick's Church), Aurora, NY, and St. Mary's Church in Auburn, or to Auburn's Neighborhood House.