Obituary of Phyllis Powell

Phyllis Powell , 94 years old. Phyllis was born in Riverside, Nova Scotia, on the farm of Ernest and Emily MacDougal on September 8, 1920. She was the first of nine children born to Gladys MacCulloch and Earl Northup when her father returned from service in World War I. Earl and his sister ‘Em’ grew up on a large farm in Stanley, at the time that was managed by Earl’s youngest brother Vernon Northup. It was on this farm that Phyllis, and her next eldest sibling (later Elsie Dodge), were taken by horse and wagon at the end of each school year to spend the summer with their paternal grandparents. They spent many happy holidays picking wild berries, swimming in the Kennetcook river, and becoming lifelong friends with (later Marion Wellwood and Hortense Cochran) their father’s other sisters. During the winters with her parents and other siblings, Phyllis enjoyed the closeness of her mother’s MacCulloch relatives in the bustling town of Shubenacadie. Phyllis explained, “I grew up in a crowd.” Phyllis married Frank Powell in 1940. They met at a Saturday evening dance in the old courthouse, on the Courthouse Hill; unoccupied by travelling district judges who once worked in the outlying areas surrounding, Halifax, Windsor and the Valley. The first year of their married life they resided on the farm of Michael and Katy Powell, Frank’s parents in West Gore. On the armistice of World War II and Frank leaving the army, they moved to the growing town of Dartmouth where they raised their family and spent all their working lives. Phyllis made a conscious choice that her family and marriage would be her career. Devoting herself to homemaking; their house was full of love, good food and happiness with many friends. Frank worked as a carpenter in Dartmouth for more than 30 years. Phyllis and Frank retired to West Gore where Frank built his retirement house, after having built houses in Dartmouth and selling them over the years. Phyllis lived alone in their West Gore house for 8 years, then at Dykeland Lodge in Windsor for five years. Phyllis was pre deceased by her husband in 2000, and their youngest son, Michael who died tragically at 43 years of age when helping a school friend with his young troubled family. Phyllis is survived by her daughter Carol, Mrs. Frederick Clark living in Houston, Texas, and her son Richard Powell, and his wife Jeanette residing in Dartmouth; four grandchildren, James and Frank Clark and their wives, in Houston Texas, and Kimberley and Dean Powell and their spouses living in Kentville, N.S. and Houston, Texas, respectively; as well as five great-grand children. Funeral services will be held at the Disciples of Christ Church in West Gore on Friday, February 13, 2015 at 2pm. Donations may be made to the Village Garden Club c/o Nancy Doane - nancy@doane.ca to maintain the West Gore Cenotaph. Arrangements have been entrusted to Serenity Lindsay Annapolis Valley Funeral Home and Chapels, (Coldbrook) (902)679-2822.