Emily Cecilia (Mattas) Powell (1936-2022)
RAVENA, N.Y. — Emily Cecilia (nee Mattas) Powell was a saintly wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. She left this world suddenly on Aug. 6, 2022, at the age of 85.
Emily was born to Ernest and Albina Mattas on Oct. 25, 1936, on their farm in Wilson, Kan. After graduating from high school, Emily chased her dreams to become a registered nurse. After graduating from Marymount College in Salina, Kan., she took her nurse’s training at St. John’s Hospital. She worked at the Ellsworth County Veterans Memorial Hospital where she met the love of her life, Donald Powell from Ravena, N.Y. Donald was an Airman stationed at the Smokey Hill Air Force Base in Salina, Kan. Together they had six children; Julie (Jack Dooley), JoAnn, Laura (Dan Barry), Debra (Brian Kingman), Karen (Sam Randio Jr.), Donald (Debbie); 12 grandchildren, Sarah, Jacqueline, Tyler, Jessica, Jasmine, Daniel, Jack, Brian, Emily, Alexandra, Samantha and Eric; and two great-grandchildren, Timothy and Brooke.
Emily’s parents and oldest brother, Ernest have passed and she is survived by her sister, JoAnn (Dr. Ron Whitmer) who live in Ellsworth, Kan., and brother, Richard Mattas, who lives in Mount Vernon, Mo., and a number of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews that live out west as well as in New York.
Emily retired as a nurse working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Albany Medical Center. She loved spending time in the kitchen creating delicious meals for her family, making her most delicious apple and pumpkin pies. She wouldn’t admit it, however, she was a skilled accordion player that kept her children entertained on the nights her husband would go bowling, by playing Polka music. She was an avid gardener and provided vegetables to her family, neighbors and friends in the community. She also enjoyed sewing. Emily was a gentle, patient, loving, kind, compassionate and selfless person, who always put others before herself, and she will be missed by all who knew her.
Emily’s funeral Mass was held in The Church of St. Patrick on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, under the direction of the Babcock Funeral Home, Ravena, NY. Please consider a donation in memory of Emily to The Church of St. Patrick, 21 Main St., Ravena, N.Y. 12143 or the Coeymans Hollow Volunteer Fire Corp., PO Box 122, Coeymans Hollow, N.Y. 12046.