Audrey Marine Powell

Audrey Marine Powell passed away due to natural causes at the age of 87 on July 11, 2026, in Rockford, Illinois surrounded by loved ones after a brief illness. Born in Golden, Colorado in 1939, she lived a rich and adventurous life and she reminded us all never to stop learning, exploring, or appreciating the blessings in our lives. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Julius “Buddy” Powell, her sons, Mark and Michael Powell (and wife Alison Powell), and grandchildren Audrey Powell, Luke Farb, and Shannon Powell. She is predeceased by her parents James and Opal Ader, her sister Beverly Lego, and many dear friends.

Her life proved that a woman could treat others with gentleness, kindness, and warmth while still setting boundaries and being strong enough to protect herself and the ones she held dear. Her smooth voice and dimpled smile put everyone she met at ease. She had a witty sense of humor and her greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren. If you had a bad day, you were sure to receive a call from her to help you process your feelings and move forward in the most positive way possible. If you had a good day, you were sure to receive a call from her cheering you on and thanking you for letting her share in your triumph. She was the kind of person anyone would be fortunate to count among their loved ones and her legacy will be one of generosity, service, and family unity. Before 911 dispatchers existed to help in the event of an emergency, folks would dial 0 and on the other end of the phone they would hear the calming voice of telephone operator Audrey Powell, who knew which authorities to call to get them the help they needed. She served the community as an AT&T operator for 40 years. She applied that same deliberately kind approach to helping and supporting her family members through every one of their worst and best days.

Even though she had strong connections to past technologies, she was too intelligent and too eager to connect with loved ones from a distance to ignore the possibilities made available to her by technological advancements, and she remained an adept user of computers and technology throughout her life, including using video conferencing software on her own as an octogenarian. She taught us that education is a never ending pursuit, and she encouraged everyone to follow that path.

She always said to enjoy life and appreciate the blessings surrounding us. She would not want us to agonize over the void left by her absence, but would remind us to take advantage of what life remains to us and seize the day to do whatever we can to help one another and try to make the world a little better every day. Though the world will never be the same without her, she is so dearly loved that she will forever live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched. As we all mourn the pain created by her absence, each of us knows that if she were here she would be the first one to call and check on us to make sure we are ok, because she knew we were feeling sad. Her memory will guide us to be strong, to believe in ourselves, and to love one another as much as she did us.

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