Mary Karen Powers, sister & sister in law of St. Frances of Rome parishioners, Barbara Powers and Julia Dietrich, died on March 18, 2024 at home in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.  She was  76 years old. Mary was born March 4, 1948 in Louisville, Ky., the second of eight children of Eugenia and William Powers.  She and her wife Dr. Jennifer Joyce, MD celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary last year after 25 years together as a couple. 

Mary Karen was blessed to have had two great loves in her life: Jennifer and Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy. Mary was a member of the Sisters of Mercy community for 30 rich years which were filled with a deep sense of commitment, mission and joy. Central to Catherine’s spirituality is the understanding that the freely given love of God - which we experience in prayer - flows out of us to others. Catherine called this “ Mercy” and it remained with Mary Karen until the end of her life.

As a Sister of Mercy, Mary Karen earned an undergraduate degree in theology from Edgecliff College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Upon completing undergraduate studies, she taught high school, served as a parish minister, and led religious education programs in two Cincinnati, Ohio parishes. Subsequently, she earned a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois. After completing her M.Div, Mary Karen had a 16 year career as a University Chaplain at Miami University of Ohio, Harvard University and M.I.T.  In Cambridge, she also served as the Volunteer Chaplain for Hospice of Cambridge.

When she left the Sisters of Mercy, Mary Karen returned to Louisville, Kentucky and became the Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Louisville. Two years later, after completing her own years of service to the Lakota Sioux people of South Dakota as a member of the Indian Health Service, Jennifer joined Mary Karen in Louisville. Subsequently the two became a couple. Soon after, Mary Karen became the Director of the Women’s  Center at the University of Louisville, a position she held for 11 years. She retired from U of L when Jennifer resigned her tenured position at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine to accept a faculty position at the newly opened Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, PA in 2010. Mary joined Jennifer in Scranton in 2011 and resided there until the time of her death.

In addition to her wife, Mary Karen’s survivors include her siblings: Dennis (Jeannie Mack) of Ann Arbor, MI; Susan of Milwaukee, WI; Barbara (Julia Dietrich) of Louisville, KY; Richard of The Bronx, NY; Kathleen of Louisville, KY; David of Louisville, KY; Kenneth (Chris Hopkins) of San Rafael, CA.  In addition to her siblings, Mary Karen had nine nieces and nephews and their spouses and thirteen grandnieces and grandnephews. 

On Saturday, March 23, 2024 at The Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, 418 South State Street, Clark Summit, PA 18411, family and friends can pay their respects and greet the family from 12 PM - 2 PM followed by a celebratory memorial of Mary’s life at 2 PM. All are invited to a reception at the Best Western PLUS / Clarks Summit Scranton Hotel, 820 Northern Blvd, Clark Summit, PA 18411 afterwards.

On Tuesday, April 2, there will be visitation from 5-9 pm at Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home, 3711 Lexington Road in Louisville, with food and drink provided. A brief memorial service will be held at 6 pm.  There will be a mass of Christian burial on Wednesday, April 3 at 10 am at St Frances of Rome Church, 2119 Payne Street in Louisville. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road. All are invited to a reception from 12-3 pm at Kaelin’s restaurant, 1801 Newburg Road, to further celebrate Mary’s life.

Mary’s family would especially like to thank The Hospice of The Sacred Heart for their kind, compassionate and exceptional end of life care.

In lieu of flowers, contributions are welcomed to The Eugenia Ford Powers Memorial Fund at Family Scholar House, 403 Reg Smith Circle, Louisville, KY 40208. Family Scholar House provides housing and  childcare assistance to single parents in Kentucky struggling to raise children while completing college. The fund is named in honor of Mary’s mother, Eugenia Powers, who became a first-time undergraduate at 62 after raising her own eight children, fulfilling a lifelong dream of completing her college degree at the age of 74. Mary also worked with The Women’s Resource Center, 620 Madison Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510. Or to a charity of your choice.

We love you, we miss you, we celebrate your life.