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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Powers-Kile, Theresa Margaret Elizabeth

POWERS-KILE,
Theresa Margaret Elizabeth
(Mack)

Theresa Margaret Elizabeth Mack Powers-Kile passed away on March 13, 2012 at Hospice House of Spokane.

The sixth child of Frank Mack and Alice Denery, Theresa was proud of her Irish-German heritage.

She was raised in Plummer, Minnesota where she began a lifetime of singing, dancing, joke-telling, and all manner of shenanigans.

While attending nursing school in St.

Cloud, Minnesota, she met Charles (Chuck) Powers to whom she was married for 41 years.

Together they raised six children in the Tri-Cities, Washington.

Theresa lived life in a whirl of energy and enthusiasm.

She loved music.

She could play most any instrument including the piano, organ, guitar, banjo, harmonica, accordion and a cellophane-wrapped comb, if needed.

She was the choir director and organist at both St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kennewick, WA and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Pasco, WA.

Theresa was a lifelong learner and lover of words.

She completed her nurse’s training at Columbia Basin College while she was pregnant with her fifth child.

She graduated at the top of her class.

She was a busy RN, working as an office nurse for Drs.

Putra, Rose, Luxson and Mayuga.

At age 62, Theresa decided to become a college coed and moved to the dorms at Eastern Washington University where she obtained her Masters in Social Work.

Theresa was fascinated by the inner journey and threw herself into her second career as a therapist for Catholic Community Services in Spokane.

She traveled to the Jungian Institute in Switzerland to further her studies and expanded her counseling repertoire to include dream interpretation.

In 1995, she married Lester Jean Kile and they enjoyed over 16 happy years together.

Dancing, building, painting houses, or just “goofing around” they had a whee of a time.

For the past years eight years, Jean was Theresa’s devoted caretaker.

Theresa is survived by her husband Lester Jean Kile of Spokane; her children Maureen Powers, Pam (Jeff) Toffer, Kevin (Lonna) Powers, Peggy Warren, Laurie (Breean Beggs) Powers, and Jeff (Kathy) Powers; and their father Charles (Chuck) Powers; 17 grandchildren and their spouses; eight great-grandchildren; her stepchildren and her stepgrandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, March 16 from 1-5 pm at Hennessey Smith Funeral Home, 2203 N. Division.

Rosary will be Friday, March 16 at 7 pm at Jesuit House Chapel at Gonzaga University, Spokane.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 17 at 1:30 pm at Jesuit House.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane, PO Box 2215, Spokane, WA, 99210-2215.

Please visit Theresa’s memorial at hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to: