Jack L. Powers

Jackie “Jack” LaRue Powers, 84, of Garner stepped out of this life into eternal life with Christ on August 22, 2021 at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City after a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the Britt Zion Church of the Nazarene, 195 2nd St. S.W. in Britt with Rev. John Paulus officiating.  Burial will be at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.  

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, August 25th at Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., Garner and will resume one hour prior to services at the church. 

Jackie LaRue Powers, the son of Maynard and Marian (Davis) Powers, was born December 24, 1936 at Crystal Lake.  He attended and graduated from Crystal Lake High School in 1954.  On May 23, 1954 he married Wanda Lewerke at the Britt Zion Church of the Nazarene.  He forever called this beautiful lady his girlfriend. They lived near Crystal Lake until 1955 when they moved to Garner. Jack provided for his family by driving all sorts of vehicles: delivering milk (joking his kids were the milkman’s kids), hauling motor freight, and eventually driving school bus for the Garner-Hayfield and GHV School Districts. He was truly a jack-of-all-trades, knowing how to fix just about anything. He enjoyed restoring trucks, singing and whistling, and most of all spending time with his family, always reminding his kids and grandkids that they came “from good stock.”

He was a member of the Britt Zion Church of the Nazarene, serving in various roles and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. He loved singing God’s praises and some of his final words on earth were “I’m ready to go to heaven.”  

Jack is survived by his wife of 67 years, Wanda of Garner; six children, Marcia (Ron) Upmeyer of Garner, Jacklyn (Don) Malek of Garner, Jim (Pat) Powers of Garner, Jeff (Biz) Powers of Garner, Brenda (Jim) Haag of Garner and Brent (Teri) Powers of Garner; 16 grandchildren; many great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; a sister, Karen (Marlen) Hanson of Forest City; brothers-in-law, Bob (Marline) Lewerke of Garner, Jerry Lewerke (special friend, Mary Clark) of Garner and David Lewerke of Prescott, AZ; a sister-in-law, Sherry Langlitz of Garner; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Andy Upmeyer; grandson-in-law, Derrick Berhow; sister, Marlene Bushman; and parents-in-law, Pete and Viola Lewerke.