Dorothy M. Power

Dorothy M. Power, 92, of North Platte, formerly of Ogallala passed away Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at The Maples at Centennial.  

Dorothy was born on October 25, 1932 in Mason City, NE the daughter of Franklin and Mable (Lindner) Hawkins.  She was baptized in the Catholic Church as a young girl. She then graduated from Amherst High School and attended Kearney State College. While in Kearney she worked at MidWay Hotel and upon completing her education to obtain her teaching certificate, she taught in several schools in Buffalo County, NE.   Dorothy was married to Ronald Earl Power in 1965 at the Baptist Church in Gibbon, and together they had three children.  The family moved to Ogallala, NE in 1968, where they made their home for over 40 years. Upon her husband’s death Dorothy, moved to North Platte to be near to her children and grandchildren. She worked for most of her career as a rural mail carrier with the USPS, retiring in 1997.

Dorothy was an avid reader throughout her life. She was a diehard pinochle player and enjoyed all card and board games. In her time in Ogallala and North Platte, she participated in many card groups, enjoyed her faith community, and looked forward to any opportunity to socialize. Dorothy and Ron enjoyed camping and spending time with friends and family at various lakes in Nebraska. Once she retired, she and Ron enjoyed traveling to different parts of the country. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Franklin and Mable Hawkins; husband, Ron; sister, Twila Eckhoff; brothers in law, Donald Eckhoff, L.D. Buchmann, Bob Pritchard, Royal Power, John Power, DeWayne Olson and Leroy and Janice Power; sisters in law, Jane (Power) Wiles and Ernie.

Those left to cherish Dorothy’s memory are her daughter, Rhonda and her husband Ron Chada of North Platte; two sons, Randy Power and his wife Janet of Aiken, S.C., and Steven Power and his wife Anne of North Platte; grandchildren, Leah Power (partner, Patrick Kelleher), Travis Power (fiancée, Laura Dunn), Melissa (Steve) Hubbard, Matthew (Nichole) Wilkins, Christopher (Mary) Chada, Kerri (Paul) Kramer, Darren Armstrong, Hannah Armstrong (partner, Corey), and Lucas (Bailey) Armstrong; great-grandchildren, Skyler (Isabelle), Hanna, Danielle, and Jordan Hubbard, Amelia Kramer, and Paul Michael Kramer, Jr.; sisters, Leatha Buchmann of Kearney, and Iva Pritchard of Pleasanton; brother and sister in law, Ivan (Joyce) Hawkins of Holdredge; sisters in law, Laberta Olson of Gibbon, Nancy Power of Geneva, and Mary Power of Wichita, KS; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church of North Platte, NE.  Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.carpentermemorial.com.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on November 12th at First Baptist Church in North Platte with Pastor Kem Reeder officiating.  Burial will follow in Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell at 1:00 pm.  Visitation will be from 1:00 to 6:00 pm with the family receiving friends from 4:00 to 6:00 pm on Monday, November 11th  at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which has been entrusted with the arrangements.