Clifford C. "Rook" Powers, 85 of Wagner

His funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 18, 2012 at St. John Catholic Church in Wagner. Burial will be in the parish cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be at the Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Wagner Friday August 17, 2012,from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. rosary/wake at the church.

Clifford C. "Rook" Powers, son of Robert and Emma (Hirsch) Powers, was born April 25, 1927 on a farm northeast of Wagner. He died Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner. Rook attained the age of 85 years, three months and 21 days.

Cliff graduated from Wagner High School in 1945. He served in the US Army from 1945 to 1947 and was stationed in Vienna and Linns, Austria.

Cliff married Carol Maxine Schulz on June 10, 1951. Seven children were blessed to their union. He was a lifetime farmer, first on the river bottom south of Dante and then on his parent's farm northeast of Wagner. Cliff and Carol worked at the Avon and Wagner Sale Barns for over 50 years, where Cliff ran the scale.

Cliff was a member of the Assumption Catholic Church in Dante and a lifetime member of the Wagner VFW Post 7319.

Cliff will be remembered for his enjoyment of bowling, watching his grandsons' car races, attending his grandchildren's sporting events and watching finches.

Thankful for having shared his life are his children: Douglas (died October 5, 1996); Jackie Peters and companion Terry Andersh, Avon; Janet Nedved and husband Stan, Wagner; Jim and wife Jeanne, Sioux Falls; Angela Nagel and husband Bryan, Avon; Jerome and wife Heidi, Wagner; and Lori Hollis and husband Michael, Richmond, VA; 20 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; sister, Vera Berndt, Barstow, CA; and many relatives and friends.

Cliff was preceded in death by his wife, Carol on April 22, 2009; son, Douglas; sister, Della Hochhalter; and parents.